Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud (Pashto,); – 5 August 2009) was a leading militant in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant groups in December 2007. He is thought by U.S. military analysts to have commanded up to 5,000 fighters and to have been behind numerous attacks in Pakistan including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto which he and others have denied.

Disagreement exists over the exact date of the militant's death. Pakistani security officials initially announced that Baitullah Mehsud and his wife were killed on 5 August 2009 in a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency drone attack in the Zangar area of South Waziristan. Interior Minister Rehman Malik delayed giving official confirmation and asked for patience and an announcement by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) or other agencies. Kafayat Ullah, a TTP source, also announced the death of the militant in the strike, as did his deputy Faqir Mohammed. Later Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan commander Hakimullah Mehsud denied previous TTP announcements and said Mehsud was in good health. Major General Athar Abbas, ISPR spokesman, and Robert Gibbs of the White House said his death could not be confirmed, U.S. National Security Adviser James L. Jones also claimed that there was "pretty conclusive" evidence that proved Baitullah Mehsud had been killed and that he was 90% sure of it. On 23 August 2009, Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman telephoned the BBC to say that Baitullah Mehsud had died on 23 August 2009 due to injuries sustained during the 5 August attack. On 30 September 2009, the BBC received a video that showed the body of Mehsud.

Syed Saleem Shahzad, writing in the "Asia Times", described Baitullah Mehsud as a physically small man, with diabetes.
Q58680
Pashto
Concept
Q190217
Waziristan
LOC
Q843
Pakistan
LOC
Q1459585
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
MEDIA
Q1784968
assassination of Benazir Bhutto
PER
Q37230
Central Intelligence Agency
Concept
Q1260080
drone attack
Concept
Q567965
Rehman Malik
PER
Q6044705
Inter Services Public Relations
ORG
None
Kafayat Ullah
UNK
Q5434469
Faqir Mohammed
PER
Q732375
Hakimullah Mehsud
PER
Q4813271
Athar Abbas
PER
Q935136
Robert Gibbs
PER
Q35525
White House
LOC
Q1414246
U.S. National Security Adviser
PER
Q467451
James L. Jones
PER
Q7961908
Wali-ur-Rehman
PER
Q554962
Syed Saleem Shahzad
PER
Q727162
Asia Times
MEDIA
Q12206
diabetes
Concept
Q334902
Baitullah Mehsud
PER
Q334902
Baitullah Mehsud
PER
Q334902
Baitullah Mehsud
PER
Q334902
Baitullah Mehsud
PER
Q334902
Baitullah Mehsud
PER
2009-08-05T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
5 August 2009
DATE
2007-12-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
December 2007
DATE
2009-08-05T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
5 August 2009
DATE
2009-08-23T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
23 August 2009
DATE
2009-08-23T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
23 August 2009
DATE
2009-09-30T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
30 September 2009
DATE
+90^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
90
NUMBER
+5^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
5
NUMBER
place of death
country of citizenship
allegiance
date of death
country
country