Reports of Hakimullah Mehsud's death emerged after a spate of US missiles hit his stronghold in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt in mid-January. Mehsud is said to have died of wounds suffered in one of the strikes in the Waziristan region – another big victory for the CIA-led missile campaign that killed Mehsud's predecessor just six months ago. The Taliban have repeatedly denied his death, but backed off an initial promise to prove the 28-year-old was still alive. The militant group also denied his predecessor's death for weeks until the succession question was settled. Mehsud has been considered a particularly ruthless Taliban fighter with grand ambitions. There are reports that commanders already are lining up to vie for his position as Taliban chief. Among the potential successors are Waliur Rehman, the deputy Taliban commander who oversaw operations in the South Waziristan region. The Pakistani army is waging an offensive in that Afghan border area against the group that has damaged much of its infrastructure. Another name being floated is that of Maulvi Toofan, a Taliban commander reported to be based in Orakzai, a region gaining importance as militants flee there from South Waziristan. Another militant would emerge to take his place, just as Hakimullah replaced Baitullah, who rose to prominence after militant commander Nek Mohammad was killed in 2004. Analysts say a potential succession struggle in the wake of Mehsud's death could temporarily weaken the Pakistani Taliban but not cripple its ability to carry out deadly attacks. Mehsud became chief of the Pakistani Taliban, allied with the Afghan Taliban and fighting to bring down Pakistan's US-backed government, after Baitullah Mehsud was killed by an unmanned drone in August. The mystery and the possible implications surrounding Hakimullah Mehsud's death continue to bewilder many. The Pakistani Taliban suffered a series of serious setbacks last year, beginning with a largely successful army offensive in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, which the militants had taken over. Their then leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed on Aug. 5 and the army launched another big offensive on their South Waziristan bastion in mid-October, capturing most strongholds. Hakimullah Mehsud's death is another big blow but not a mortal one. Mehsud's death could be expected to disrupt temporarily the Taliban campaign of bomb attacks in towns and cities across Pakistan while a new leader emerges. There has been an easing of the tempo of bomb attacks in recent weeks, although 34 people were killed in twin bombings in Karachi last Friday. The Al-Qaeda-linked Pakistani Taliban are part of a militant network that includes groups from Punjab province, with a presence in most parts of the country. That network remains intact and highly dangerous. Some analysts expect there would be a brief surge of militant attacks in retaliation, if and when Mehsud was killed. Mehsud's death would be unlikely to have any impact on the Afghan Taliban, who are not fighting in Pakistan, although the army's capture of Mehsud's strongholds in South Waziristan, which has become a global militancy hub, is likely to have disrupted networks sending supplies and recruits into eastern Afghanistan.
