TTP confirms top commander’s death

ISLAMABAD (PAN on Thursday confirmed their deputy leader Waliur Rehman’s death in a US drone strike and announced suspending talks with the government.

A spokesman for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) told local media outlets all contacts with the government had been suspended and the offer of peace negotiations retracted.

Ehsanullah Ehsan said: “We will soon respond (to the death) with full force. The government is advocating for peace talks on the one hand and is colluding with the US at killing Taliban leaders on the other.”

Earlier in the day, intelligence officials said the TTP’s second in command was buried at an undisclosed location on Wednesday night.

Khan Said has, meanwhile, been nominated to succeed Rehman as TTP’s deputy head. Said is believed to be a close aide to the slain militant commander.

Ehsan said the TTP would avenge the killing of its leader, blaming the government for drone strikes in the region and passing information to the United States.

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