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Pakistani Taliban chief confirmed dead
February-9-2010

Pakistani officials and Taliban both confirmed the death of the Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, local TV channels reported Tuesday.

According to the private Dawn news, government officials have confirmed his death and have said that he was killed in a U.S. drone strike last month.

The reports said the leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) died a week ago due to neck injury on the way from Multan to Karachi for treatment.

The Taliban, based in Orakzai tribal agency, also confirmed on Tuesday that Hakimullah Mehsud is dead.

However, the official Taliban spokesman Alam Tariq has not yet made a statement.

Sources said that Maulvi Noor Jamal has been nominated as Mehsud's successor.

Pakistani officials said Hakimullah Mehsud has been injured in a U.S. drone strike in South Waziristan on Jan. 14, which was followed by conflicting reports about his death in weeks.