off where Mehsud was. I read that the drone attack that killed Meshud was based on intell from the Pakistani govt. or the ISI, but that the CIA was not targeting Mehsud. Now, Mehsud's people battled Baitani, 70 or so were killed in the fight.
Clashes between Pakistani Taliban, followers of pro-govt Bİttani kill 70Fresh clashes between Taliban fighters and those loyal to a pro-government warlord killed at least 70 people Wednesday, intelligence officials said, a week after Pakistan said believe the top Taliban leader was killed by a US drone attack.
The battles pitched Taliban militants against followers of tribal warlord Turkistan Bitani on the fringes of the South Waziristan border region.
Intelligence officials and local television channels reported that many people were killed in the clash.
The fighting broke out when militants loyal to Mehsud, whom US and Pakistani officials believe was killed in a US missile attack last week, attacked followers of Turkistan Bitani in Sur Ghar village.
Pakistani government troops had started to pound militants with artillery fire, forcing them to retreat.
Bittani put the number of killed fighters about 100 in the clashes and said that 40 houses have been destroyed.
"We have pushed them (Taliban) back but exchange of fire still continues," intelligence official said.
Another official said wireless intercepts from the area showed at least 70 people -- including one woman in the village -- were killed. It was impossible to independently confirm the death toll, as the fighting was taking place in a remote mountainous area that is off-limits to journalists.
An intelligence official said Bitani's fighters later attacked a village inhabited by Mehsud loyalists and abducted 15 tribesmen.
more:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=45916
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