Pakistan Taliban elects No.2 commander Khan Said as leader to replace slain Mehsud

The Pakistani Taliban has elected number two commander Khan Said, known as Sajna, as leader.

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http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/02/pakistan-taliban-elects-no2-commander-khan-said-as-leader-to-replace-slain-
The Pakistani Taliban has elected number two commander Khan Said, known as Sajna, as leader.

Said replaces Hakimullah Mehsud, who was killed on November 1 in a US drone strike in the Waziristan region, according to intelligence officials and militant commanders.

Mehsul was on the US most-wanted militants’ list. He was believed to have been involved in several plots, including a deadly attack on a US base in Afghanistan in 2009.

Pakistan’s government issued a statement through its foreign ministry saying it “strongly condemned the US drone strike”, calling such actions “counter-productive”.

On the streets of Islamabad, many residents were also critical, especially because of the implications for Pakistan’s efforts to negotiate a peace settlement with the Taliban.

One local said: “It makes the peace dialogue process with the Taliban difficult. Now that Mehsud’s been killed, they won’t be prepared any more to have a dialogue with us. So how can we carry on with it? The dialogue can only happen when there is peace from both sides, and when there are no drone strikes.”

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