ISLAMABAD – In the latest drone strike the deputy head of the TTP Pakistanwas targeted by US.
The deputy chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Khan Said Mehsudalias Sajna who was head of the Mehsud faction of the Taliban is believedto have been killed in a drone strike in the Margha Area of Barmal inAfghanistan making Maulvi Khatir the new acting chief of Mehsud Halqa.
At least two sources confirm that Sajna was killed along with his nephewIsmail and two guards.
“The vehicle is completed destroyed,” an intelligence official said addingthat there were at least three reported drone strikes on the Pak-Afghanborder in the last 24 hours.
TTP’s Mehsud Halqa has appointed Maulvi Khatir as acting chief of theirfaction.
The real name of Khalid Sajna was Khan Syed. He belonged to the Shobi Kheltribe and was aged forty six. He had two wives both of which belonged tothe Mehsud tribe.
Sajna was put on the United States Designated Terrorist list in October2014.
Khalid Sajna is reported to have actively participated in Afghar war beforejoining Tehreek e Taliban soon after its formation. He has also beenconsidered as a close aide of Baitullah Mehsud and Wali Rehman.
According to Wali Rehman’s will, Khalid Sajna was to become tribal chieffor South Waziristan after his death. However, Hakeemullah was not ready toaccept Sajna as the new chief.
He instead opted for Sharyar Mehsud as the new Ameer after which conflictsemerged between Khalid Sajna and Maulvi Fazaullah. However, tensionsbetween the two diffused in 2016 when Maulvi Fazalullah admitted to deployKhalid Sajna as Deputy Ameer as well as Ameer of South Waziristan.
Khan Said became TTP’s deputy leader following the death of Wali-ur-Rehmanin May 2013. Said had experience fighting in Afghanistan, and was believedto be involved in the attack on a Naval base in Karachi, and was alsocredited with masterminding a 2012 jailbreak in which the Taliban freed 400inmates from a prison in Bannu.
While the Mehsud faction had split from the TTP, they announced on February2, 2017 that the “Mehsud division”, which is also known as the movement ofthe Taliban in South Waziristan and Sajna or Khalid Mehsud Group, hadrejoined the group.
A Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they hadreceived similar information but awaited further confirmation. He refusedto give any further details.