Monthly Archives: February 2010

Mohammed Haqqani is no more:

A brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, a militant leader linked to both the Taliban and al Qaeda, was killed in the latest U.S. drone-launched missile strike in northwestern Pakistan, dealing yet another blow to the insurgents engaged in fighting the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Mohammed Haqqani and three associates were killed when missiles fired from a pilotless aircraft Thursday evening struck a compound in Dande Darpa Khel village in North Waziristan tribal region, a Pakistani security official said.

The strike was apparently aimed at Sirajuddin who is the head of the powerful Haqqani network that has been responsible for some recent major attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul. But he was not present in the area at the time of the attack.

The death of Mohammed Haqqani, who was also actively involved in the Afghan insurgency, comes as a blow to the insurgent group and reinforces the effectiveness of the controversial U.S. campaign of drone strikes in Pakistan’s lawless tribal region along the border with Afghanistan.

A minor victory to be sure but it’s still forward progress.