Taliban in disarray after Mehsud killed

Independent:

The Pakistan Taliban were meeting last night to choose a new leader after Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistan's most wanted man, was killed in a CIA-led air strike, dealing a major blow to the insurgency that has ravaged the north-west and the wild tribal areas along the Afghan border.

"According to my intelligence sources, Mehsud has been taken out," said Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan's Foreign Minister. Pakistani officials are carrying out "on-the-ground verification to be 100 per cent sure." The remote area in South Waziristan is a Taliban stronghold and difficult to access.

...

There were fears last night of a revenge bombing campaign in Pakistan's heartland, and security was being beefed up in major cities. Within hours of the news of the death, fighters loyal to Mr Mehsud mounted attacks on rival militant groups considered friendly to Islamabad in the nearby town of Tank. An estimated 19 fighters from the pro-government Turkistan Bhittani group were killed in the clashes.

...

The extent to which Washington and Islamabad cooperated in the lead up to the strike is unclear. But when asked if Mr Mehsud's killing was the product of improved intelligence-sharing between the two countries, one government official said: "Yes."

Coming on the heels of an offensive in the Swat Valley, Mr Mehsud's death represents a major breakthrough in Pakistan's battle against Islamist militancy. As the head of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Mr Mehsud had used his mountainous tribal base to launch more than 200 suicide attacks killing more than 1,200 people over the last two years.

...

It will be interesting to see how this decapitation strike effects the ability of the Taliban to organize attacks. It should also have an effect on al Qaeda's ability to sustain operations outside the area. The paranoia of Taliban leadership will also effect their ability to operate as they lash out at those suspected of providing the intelligence that led to Mehsud's demise.