Islamabad: Kalimullah Mehsud, the brother of the new Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, has been killed in a clash with security forces in the country's lawless tribal belt and the militants have said suicide bombers are being prepared to avenge his death.
Kalimullah was killed in a gun battle in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan on Monday, media reports said on Thursday.
Earlier reports had said he was killed in one of two US drone attacks carried out in Waziristan on Tuesday. He was buried yesterday, the reports said.
Taliban spokesman Qari Hussain said suicide bombers were being prepared to avenge Kalimullah's death as well as the killing for former Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud, who also died in a US drone attack.
"We will take revenge for the assassination of Baitullah and Kalimullah," Hussain said.
Hakimullah, who is yet to speak to the media or appear in public since his appointment as the new chief of the Pakistani Taliban, has two more brothers.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 01, 2009, 16:27