Baitullah Mehsud rival Qari Zainuddin shot dead

[wtf]

I know Ahmed Shah Masood is not particularly popular in Pakistan, but the similarities between his death and this one are striking.

Masood maintained that he would fight Taliban and that his death would be the first step in an all out war on Afghanistan. And he was very prescient -- he was killed by Taliban agents days before 9/11. That ensured that in the aftermath, public opinion was (for a while) west vs. Afghanistan rather than Northern Alliance vs. Taliban or tribe vs.tribe.

The exact same tactic is being used in Qari Zainuddin's death - and I don't believe this is going to be an isolated incident. I am guessing that Taliban wants to mount an unconventional offensive that would divide the opinions within Pakistan and they want to ensure that public support would not crystallize around any one else.

What sort of strike they are planning is what is not clear.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

we should work closer with Turkistan Bhittany and also negotiate with Mehsud tribe

they have always been notorious tribe, very fierce and tough people. I myself am Pathaan I know these guys.

since history they are fighters, just ask the britishers.


soon Inshallah the commandos will attack Mehsud with F-2000 assault rifles

 

[brilTek]

Qari Zainuddin’s successor vows to continue struggle


By Iqbal Khattak

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Misbahuddin Mehsud, the new chief of the Abdullah Group and the successor of Qari Zainuddin, said on Wednesday that his men would continue fighting against Baitullah Mehsud until he was killed.

The 23-year-old said he “strongly supports” the ongoing military operation in Waziristan against. In interview with Daily Times 30 hours after the killing of his elder brother Zainuddin, Misbah said the murder of his brother would not either “demoralise” his group or “hurt its mission”. “We know who killed Zainuddin,” he said.

 

[ajpirzada]

Operational plans against Mehsud on

By Iqbal Khattak

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Operational plans being made against Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in Waziristan might need “a slight readjustment” after the death of rival commander Qari Zainuddin, but plan to take on the “enemy No 1” will “stay the course”, military authorities told Daily Times.

Zainuddin was assassinated by his own guard while on his way from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan two days after he agreed to an interview with Daily Times.

Some analysts call Zainuddin’s death – days before formal kick-off of Operation Rah-e-Nijat, or Path of Salvation, against Mehsud – a “setback” to government preparations, but military authorities argue such action “is not planned around a single individual”. They add that the killing of the anti-Mehsud commander had “come at the wrong time” but was not “a major cause of concern”.

The analysts said Zainuddin would have been “more effective” if he was holding territory inside Waziristan.

“The government delayed the investment in Zainuddin and the result is that today the state stands humiliated as it could not protect its man against likely threats from Mehsud,” analysts told Daily Times.

Signs of all-out support of the government to Baitullah’s rival Abdullah and Turkistan groups was clearly visible in both Tank and Dera where government and private buildings were being used by anti-Mehsud groups to recruit foot soldiers and set up regional bases around Waziristan.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[SSGPA1]

I know Ahmed Shah Masood is not particularly popular in Pakistan, but the similarities between his death and this one are striking.

Masood maintained that he would fight Taliban and that his death would be the first step in an all out war on Afghanistan. And he was very prescient -- he was killed by Taliban agents days before 9/11. That ensured that in the aftermath, public opinion was (for a while) west vs. Afghanistan rather than Northern Alliance vs. Taliban or tribe vs.tribe.

The exact same tactic is being used in Qari Zainuddin's death - and I don't believe this is going to be an isolated incident. I am guessing that Taliban wants to mount an unconventional offensive that would divide the opinions within Pakistan and they want to ensure that public support would not crystallize around any one else.

What sort of strike they are planning is what is not clear.

Ahmed Shah Masood was popular in Pakistan during the Afghan war and you might have come across some supporters of Engineer Hikmatyar who don't support him. Pakistanis considered ASM a mujahid and many were sad on his death.

Furthermore, ASM was not killed by the Taliban, he was killed by Arab operatives of Al Qaeda. The only similarity between the death of Qari and ASM is that both met violent ends, other then that, Qari was killed by his former friends and ASM was killed by a rival group.

Opinions in Paksitan are now united and majority is waiting for the news of BM's demise. Qari's death has united BM's rivals and they now actually have a better chance against BM.

 

[Mujahid]

Baitullah confesses Zainuddin murder

WANA: Baitullah Mehsud has claimed the responsibility of his rival Taliban commander Qari Zainuddin Mehsud’s murder, reports ARY NEWS citing a foreign news agency.

According to channel, a deputy commander of Baitullah Mehsud told the news agency that they killed Qari Zainuddin because he was a rebel of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.