Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Video of Taliban commander leaves fate unclear
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Video of Taliban commander leaves fate unclear
By RASOOL DAWAR,Associated Press Writer -
Monday, March 1
Send
IM Story
Print
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan – The Pakistani Taliban released a video of their militant chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, but his taped comments fail to prove he survived a U.S. missile strike earlier this year.
U.S. and Pakistani officials have become increasingly confident that the brash militant commander died of wounds from a drone-fired missile in mid-January, but the Pakistani Taliban have denied he was killed.
At the same time, the militants have said they felt no responsibility to definitively prove he's alive.
The 43-minute undated video, obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday, shows a healthy Mehsud in white traditional Pakistani dress answering questions from an interviewer sitting off-screen. Another man, wearing a mask, holds a microphone up to Mehsud.
Mehsud extols the virtues of waging holy war in Afghanistan and Pakistan and warns U.S. forces not to enter Pakistan's tribal belt, a lawless stretch of territory along the Afghan border where his and several other militant networks are based.
"If they make the mistake of entering the Pakistani tribal areas, they will open a new chapter of their destruction in history which may surpass their defeat in Vietnam," Mehsud says in the video.
He also asserts that the U.S. is considering negotiating with the Taliban because it faces defeat in Afghanistan.
Mehsud insists the Pakistani army's offensive against his network in the South Waziristan tribal region has strengthened the militancy. The army says the operation has destroyed much of the group's infrastructure and put its leaders on the run.
Mehsud never mentions the U.S. missile campaign, but does warn viewers against "media propaganda."
A Taliban associate gave the video to an AP reporter in the North Waziristan tribal region, where the U.S. wants Pakistan to stage another military operation. The area is home mostly to militant networks focused on the war in Afghanistan, unlike the Pakistani Taliban, which have staged attacks across Pakistan.
Mehsud is believed to be at least partly responsible for a suicide attack on an eastern Afghanistan CIA base that killed seven agency employees in late December. For several weeks after that attack, the U.S. dramatically escalated its missile strikes in the Pakistani tribal belt, with him apparently in its sights.
The Pakistani Taliban also denied the death of Mehsud's predecessor, who was killed by a U.S. missile strike in August, until they chose his successor weeks later. The same dynamic may be at work now.
___
Associated Press writers Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Marines, Afghan troops to be stationed in Marjah AP - 49 minutes ago
AP Enterprise: How nuclear equipment reached Iran AP - 1 hour 16 minutes ago
Taiwan's Ma apologises for poll setback AFP - 1 hour 34 minutes ago
Facing tsunami threat, Japan battens down hatches AFP - 2 hours 31 minutes ago
Official: Roadside bomb kills family of 11 Afghans AP - 2 hours 50 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Debt-hit Greece must step up spending cuts: Juncker
British banking faces major makeover
Vast iceberg could disrupt ocean currents, weather
Bigger Afghan operation yet to come: US
Hedge funds pile up bearish bets on euro: report
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Vast iceberg could disrupt ocean currents, weather
Be of good heart: Happiness helps ward off cardiac disease
British banking faces major makeover
Hedge funds pile up bearish bets on euro: report
'Zombies' have free speech rights too, US court rules
More Most Viewed »
Third-hand smoke also bad for you: study
Florida killer whale to stay in park after deadly attack
DNA reveals some mystery on King Tut, raises questions
Pitt, Jolie sue British paper over split claims
Sugary soft drinks linked to pancreatic cancer: study
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 28 February 2010 Iran's Mousavi warns over system's legitimacy waning
US winds down Afghan assault but bigger one on way
Tsunami waves hit French Polynesia after Chile quake
|
Britain to investigate passport ordeal in Israel
|
Renewed tension looms in Turkey after military arrests
|
Pakistan suicide attack kills 4, wounds dozens
China says US diplomat to visit for talks on ties
Tsunami hits Chile as Pacific rim braces for impact
Troops clear last pockets of resistance in Marjah
Small blast shatters doors at bank in Bangkok
Tonga moves 50,000 off coast in advance of tsunami
SeaWorld set for 1st show after trainer's death
Iris scans may prevent mistaken release of inmates
Indian PM in Saudi Arabia for talks
Islam seeks a perch in Tajikistan's political life
Abu Sayyaf militants kill 11 in south Philippines
Four killed in Pakistan suicide bombing
Thaksin supporters denounce Thai court verdict
Toyota president to visit China over recall row: report
Woody Harrelson is a changed man after Oscar role
|
Iraq Kurds again likely to be kingmakers post-poll
British banking faces major makeover
Wary Chileans sleep outside; quake affects millions
|
Palm comeback falling short
Security tightened in Bangkok after bank blasts
|
Depressed Blair 'wanted to quit after Iraq war': report
Berlusconi corruption trial adjourned for a month
Iraq Kurds again likely to be kingmakers post-poll
|
Vast iceberg could disrupt ocean currents, weather
US-TECH Summary
Cuba says dead hunger striker was common criminal
|
How to decline Facebook friends without offense
Israel confronts protesters near Jerusalem mosque
|
US group launches text message aid drive for Chile quake
Google launches 'person finder' for Chile quake victims
Tiny tsunami hits small Japan island: report
|
Poll shows Australian government losing lead
|
Online gaming sweeps China
Visitor center opens at NY's African Burial Ground
Thousands still lack power after Northeast storm
Taiwan's Ma apologises over poll setback
Clinton faces Latin America test on Iran
Chile quake looms over Clinton Latin America tour
Souped-up Olympian Wang shakes up track
70,000 evacuated as tsunami reaches Japan
Security tightened in Bangkok after bank blasts
N.Korea may return to talks in March or April
Global minimum and maximum temperatures
Grenade attacks damage Thai banks
Australian swimmers ignore tsunami warnings
How to decline Facebook friends without offense
|
Japan warns of tsunami up to 10 feet along coast
Toyota's president to visit China on Monday
S.Korea BOK report: dlr status may fade over time
Toyota president to brief media in China
China top holder in US debt, after all
Marie Osmond's son kills self in jump from building
|
A Prophet triumphs at French film awards
|
Warm winters distress reindeer herders
Peter Gabriel deconstructs music, reconstructs world
Pakistani woman races from rags to riches
S.Africa's small towns hunt for beds for World Cup fans
"A Prophet" triumphs at French film awards
'A Prophet' sweeps Cesar French film awards
In Milan, Armani, Bottega Veneta reaffirm Italian style
Marie Osmond son kills self in jump from building
Bollywood legend wins best actor but boycotts awards
Woody Harrelson is a changed man after Oscar role
Violence flares at Jerusalem holy site
ETA's military chief arrested in France: Spain
Blast kills 11 civilians in southern Afghanistan
|
Death toll mounts as storms lash Europe
Hamas leader drugged, suffocated: Dubai police
Death toll from storms lashing Europe rises to nine
Tsunami waves hit Pacific regions after Chile quake
|
Clashes erupt at Al-Aqsa mosque after stone attack
Italian held by Qaeda makes plea to Berlusconi: SITE
New U.N. watchdog head faces rising tension with Iran
Storm moves into France leaving three dead
New U.N. watchdog head faces rising tension with Iran
|
Yemen arrests 21 in south
|
Storms kill 15 in France, three in Spain
|
Arms and energy on agenda for Medvedev in Paris
|
Violence flares at Jerusalem holy site
|
Turkish PM holds talks with armed forces head: report
|
Emotional orca show marks 1st since trainer killed
Thai PM orders more security after bank blasts
Voting is brisk as Tajikistan picks new parliament
Video of Taliban commander leaves fate unclear
Afghanistan protects newly rediscovered rare bird
Poll setback tests Taiwan's China-friendly leader
Voting brisk as Tajikistan picks new parliament
Thai king leaves hospital for 4 hours
Sectarian clashes kill 7 in NW Pakistan: officials
Japan evacuates 320,000 on tsunami alert
Australian foreign minister to visit India
Despite protectionism, ASEAN eyes single market
PM expects Indian economy to grow 7% in 2010
China walks policy tight-rope ahead of congress
Korea Gas signs major deal in Canada: report
Statue head of King Tut's grandfather found in Luxor
India rail cracks down on rooftop train travellers
New museum takes shape at heart of Nazi terror
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights