Pakistan

Young tribal leader assassinated

Article published on the 2009-06-23 Latest update 2009-06-23 09:37 TU

Taliban fighters are suspected of a number of recent killings
(Photo : Reuters)

A young tribal leader who was an outspoken critic of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed in Pakistan on Tuesday. Qari Zainuddin was shot dead in his office in the north-western town of Dera Ismail Khan. Zainuddin had been critical of the Taliban’s use of suicide bombings that targeted civilians.

The 26-year-old split from Mehsud's Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan faction nine months ago and told local media last week that he would be in favour of military action against his former commander.

Also on Tuesday, a suspected US missile attack in the South Waziristan region, a Mehsud stronghold, killed six people.

Tuesday’s assassination comes as the Pakistani army plans a new offensive against Taliban forces led by Mehsud.

Earlier this year the United States put a $5 million bounty on his head for information leading to his capture.

Meanwhile, shops and markets in Quetta held a partial strike in protest at the killing of two Shiite Muslims on Monday.