Power Struggle in Pakistani Taliban

In the wake of the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mahsud in Wednesday, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn writes that a power struggle broke out between two other Mahsud leaders:

‘ According to sources, commanders Hakeemullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman, the two leading contenders for the chief slot, exchanged hot words at the shura meeting in Sara Rogha over the choosing of a successor to Baitullah. A shootout followed, leading to the death of Hakeemullah while causing life-threatening injuries to Waliur Rehman. However, a government official in Peshawar said that both Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman had been killed in the clash. The names of Hakeemullah, Waliur Rehman and 50-year-old Azmatullah Mehsud were shortlisted at a meeting of senior Taliban leaders from the Mehsud tribe, but a decision was put off following differences over who would succeed the slain leader.’

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