Pakistan Rupee Exchange Rate
American Dollar Exchange Rate
Euro Exchange RatePakistani officials say Ilyas Kashmiri, head of Al Qaeda's paramilitary operations in Pakistan, was killed in a strike Sept. 7 near the border and an Uzbek commander was slain in a strike this week.
By Alex Rodriguez and Zulfiqar Ali
Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan, and Peshawar, Pakistan -- A missile fired by a U.S. drone killed a top Al Qaeda operations chief and two other militant commanders in the volatile North Waziristan region, Pakistani military and intelligence sources said Thursday.
The death of Ilyas Kashmiri, a Pakistani national who headed Al Qaeda's paramilitary operations in Pakistan, is the latest in a series of successful strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.
In August, a drone strike in South Waziristan killed Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mahsud, the country's most-wanted militant, who was accused of engineering suicide bombings against civilian and military targets. U.S. drone strikes have killed several other prominent Al Qaeda militants in recent years.
Pakistani military and intelligence sources said Kashmiri was killed Sept. 7 in a U.S. strike in the Machikhel area of North Waziristan. Two other local militant commanders, Hanifullah Janikhel and Kaleemullah were also killed in the attack.
A top Uzbek militant commander, Nazimuddin, was also believed killed in a U.S. drone strike Sept. 14 in North Waziristan, the Associated Press reported.
The U.S. reliance on unmanned drone attacks against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal areas has been one of the strongest sources of public discord between Islamabad and Washington.
Though Pakistani leaders publicly condemn the attacks because of the civilian casualties they cause, it is widely believed that they tacitly allow the strikes. In the case of Mahsud's death, Pakistani intelligence helped the U.S. pinpoint his location.
Top Al Qaeda leaders who have been killed in U.S. strikes on Pakistani soil include Abu Hamza Rabia, an Egyptian suspected of heading Al Qaeda's international operations, senior Al Qaeda leader Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Sulayman Jazairi, an Algerian explosives specialist.
This week, Pakistani military leaders announced the capture of Sher Mohammed Qasab, a top Taliban commander in the Swat Valley. Qasab was arrested Wednesday in the Charbagh area of the valley, which Taliban militants controlled before Pakistan launched a major offensive to drive them out in late April.
Qasab is accused of personally beheading Pakistani soldiers and setting fire to a girls schools in Swat. He was captured after he and his sons exchanged gunfire with Pakistani troops, the military said. Three of his sons were killed in the firefight and a fourth was captured. Link...
Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan, and Peshawar, Pakistan -- A missile fired by a U.S. drone killed a top Al Qaeda operations chief and two other militant commanders in the volatile North Waziristan region, Pakistani military and intelligence sources said Thursday.
The death of Ilyas Kashmiri, a Pakistani national who headed Al Qaeda's paramilitary operations in Pakistan, is the latest in a series of successful strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.
In August, a drone strike in South Waziristan killed Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mahsud, the country's most-wanted militant, who was accused of engineering suicide bombings against civilian and military targets. U.S. drone strikes have killed several other prominent Al Qaeda militants in recent years.
Pakistani military and intelligence sources said Kashmiri was killed Sept. 7 in a U.S. strike in the Machikhel area of North Waziristan. Two other local militant commanders, Hanifullah Janikhel and Kaleemullah were also killed in the attack.
A top Uzbek militant commander, Nazimuddin, was also believed killed in a U.S. drone strike Sept. 14 in North Waziristan, the Associated Press reported.
The U.S. reliance on unmanned drone attacks against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal areas has been one of the strongest sources of public discord between Islamabad and Washington.
Though Pakistani leaders publicly condemn the attacks because of the civilian casualties they cause, it is widely believed that they tacitly allow the strikes. In the case of Mahsud's death, Pakistani intelligence helped the U.S. pinpoint his location.
Top Al Qaeda leaders who have been killed in U.S. strikes on Pakistani soil include Abu Hamza Rabia, an Egyptian suspected of heading Al Qaeda's international operations, senior Al Qaeda leader Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Sulayman Jazairi, an Algerian explosives specialist.
This week, Pakistani military leaders announced the capture of Sher Mohammed Qasab, a top Taliban commander in the Swat Valley. Qasab was arrested Wednesday in the Charbagh area of the valley, which Taliban militants controlled before Pakistan launched a major offensive to drive them out in late April.
Qasab is accused of personally beheading Pakistani soldiers and setting fire to a girls schools in Swat. He was captured after he and his sons exchanged gunfire with Pakistani troops, the military said. Three of his sons were killed in the firefight and a fourth was captured. Link...