Washington: The Pentagon on Thursday said that Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is no longer running the terrorist outfit, even as news reports from that country claimed that he is still alive.
It has been widely believed that Hakimullah, who had succeeded Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in a drone attack early this year.
"I can also tell you that I certainly have seen no evidence that the person you speak of is operational today or is executing or exerting authority over the Pakistan Taliban as he once did," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters at a news briefing.
"I don`t know if that reflects him being alive or dead, but he clearly is not running the Pakistani Taliban anymore," Morrell said in response to a question if Mehsud was dead or alive.
PTI
