Top Pak Taliban militant killed in US drone attack
Qari Zafar, a former commander of Lashqar-i-Jahngvi, was heading five to 600 Punjabi Taliban in Waziristan and was wanted in the deadly March 2, 2006 bombing of the US consulate in Karachi which killed a US diplomat David Foy and several Pakistanis staffers of the consulate.
Besides his alleged involvement in the US consulate attack, Pakistan’s security officials also accused Qari Zafar for carrying out the devastating suicide bombing on Marriot hotel in Islamabad on September
20, 2008, killing 54 people.
Qari Zafar’s death marks the latest success from Washington’s secret CIA-run drone program in Pakistan. Since 2004, more than 11 drone attacks have been carried out in the North and South Waziristan tribal regions, killing several key Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders.
In a statement, faxed to media outlets, Taliban described Zafar as a martyr and vowed to avenge his death. Taliban rarely confirm the killings of their leaders in missile strikes. However, Taliban sources said that Qari Abuzar Khanjri, another militant commander from Punjab, has been appointed as a new leader of Punjabi Taliban.
“The mujahideen will soon take revenge against the Pakistani government for his killing anywhere in the country,” said the statement.
Pakistani officials frequently protest the US drone strikes as violations of the country’s sovereignty but most of the analysts believe that Pakistan has allowed US drone attacks as part of the joint Pakistan-US secret program. Several US officials have said in private that Pakistani government supports the strikes.
Zafar, was heading banned al-Qaida-linked militant groups Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Harkat al-Jihad-e-Islami and was also part of another hardliner militant organisation Takfiri group.
Pakistan’s intelligence officials said that two missiles fired from drone aircraft targeted a militant training camp called “Badr Abu Mansoor” at Darga Mandi area of North Waziristan last Wednesday which killed 11 insurgents including Qari Zafar. The militants residing at the compound belonged to Punjabi terrorists. The US had announced a $5 million dollar reward for information leading to his capture.
