Pakistani Taliban senior commander confirmed killed by U.S. drone

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Taliban confirmed on Monday that a recent U.S. drone strike has eliminated its senior commander Khan Said Sajna.

Spokesman for the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohammad Khorasani said in a statement sent to the local media that Sajna, deputy chief of the group, was killed in the U.S. drone attack in North Waziristan tribal region on Feb. 8.

Local media had earlier quoted unnamed Taliban leaders that Sajna came under the drone attack in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province, bordering Pakistan last week. Three of Sajna's guards were also killed in the strike.

Sajna, who was one of top TTP leaders, also headed Taliban militants from the Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan. He had earlier formed his own splinter group because of internal differences, but later rejoined the Taliban's main faction under Maulvi Fazalullah.

Tribal journalists, who are familiar with activities of the TTP across the border, believe the death of Sajna is a major blow to the group, which is blamed for most of the terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

Pakistani security officials insist that majority of the Taliban leaders and fighters have fled to neighboring Afghanistan after the military carried out major offensive in the tribal regions. Enditem