Wire: 40 Dead, 60 Wounded in US Drone Strike in Pakistan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that the assassination of the leader of a renegade Pakistani Taliban faction by one of his own men Tuesday underscores a growing rift in the ranks of the militant group as it braces for an impending army assault in the volatile northwest.

The Associated Press reported that Qari Zainuddin's killing sets back government hopes of exploiting these internal divisions in the South Waziristan tribal region, where the army has been pounding strongholds of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in apparent preparation for a major, U.S.-backed offensive

Suspected U.S. missiles also hammered the same areas Tuesday, striking a purported Taliban training center and later a funeral procession for some of those killed in the first missile attack. Up to 40 people died -- including Sangeen Khan, a top aide to Mehsud -- and 60 more were wounded, said two intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because it would compromise their jobs, AP said.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: 'Dozens dead' in US drone strike

Tags: Open Thread, Wire, Headlines, DOD, Military, War, United States, U.S., News
Global Tags: Washington DC, News and Politics, News, Politics, Current Events, Current Affairs, Life, Culture, Buzz, Tension