Taliban Chief Killed By 'Own Guard'

[tekisui]

Source: Al Jazeera

A Taliban leader who criticised the group's Pakistani head of command over attacks that killed two civilians has been shot dead, reportedly by one of his own guards.

The shooting of Qari Zainuddin on Tuesday appears to indicate the deepening of divisions within the Taliban as Pakistan's military conducts an operation to rid the Swat valley and South Waziristan of Taliban strongholds.

Zainuddin, who was shot dead in the town of Dera Ismail Khan in the southern tip of the North West Frontier Province, had emerged as Baitullah Mehsud's chief rival.

Zainuddin was pronounced dead with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest upon arrival at the local hospital, a local doctor said.

Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the Pakistani capital Islamabad, said: "Zainuddin had accused Baitullah Mehsud of going against the tenets of Islam for carrying out attacks on religious scholars.

"He said he would take his men and go after Baitullah Mehsud."

more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/06/200962382215715372.html

[Ganja Ninja]

1. Amazing how all this is happening only 4 months after Obama took office.

No wonder Dick Cheney is out there running his mouth. If in another 6 months to a year the Taliban is reduced to a a shell of it's former self you can bet the GOP spin machine will trying to give Bush the credit.