Taliban confirmation: Leader in Pakistan died in missile attack

The chief spokesman for the Taliban in Pakistan, who was arrested Monday, has confirmed that the group’s leader is dead, Pakistani officials have said.

A minister from North West Frontier Province said Maulvi Omar had stated that Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a U.S. drone attack earlier this month.

The Taliban had previously denied U.S. and Pakistani reports that he was dead.

Maulvi Omar was arrested in the Mohmand tribal area while travelling to South Waziristan, near the Afghan border.

Omar was the second prominent Taliban figure to be arrested in 24 hours.

Qari Saifullah, a commander affiliated with Harkat Jihad-e-Islami, was detained while being treated at a private hospital in Islamabad, officials said, reportedly after being wounded in a missile strike.

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