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WASHINGTON: A US drone targeted and, apparently, killed the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Mullah Fazlullah in the Afghan province of Kunar, media reports and US defence sources said on Thursday.
The Voice of America radio reported that a US military official confirmed to its correspondents that a US drone strike had “targeted the TTP leader in an Afghan province near the border with Pakistan”.
The official US radio also quoted unconfirmed reports from the target area as claiming that Mullah Fazlullah had been killed.
A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the strike was carried out late Wednesday and the TTP chief was its target but he also said that he could not confirm if he was killed.
A spokesman for US Forces-Afghanistan, Army Lt Col Martin O’Donnell, told VOA that “US forces conducted a counterterrorism strike June 13 in Kunar province, close to the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which targeted a senior leader of a designated terrorist organisation.”
Pentagon officials, when asked to comment on the VoA report, said they were not yet in a position to confirm if decline if the strike was successful.
The strike comes amid a seven-day ceasefire between the Afghan Taliban and government security forces to allow Afghan citizens to observe the last days of Ramazan and Eid peacefully.
Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2018
Comments (91) Closed
Good job done US Forces in Afghanistan. Pakistani nation is grateful for taking this curse out.
Great , but too little too late.
We will believe it when we see it.
Great news!
Eid gift.. hopefully
Hope he is dead for the sake of all the innocent who have died because of him
Good Riddance!!! American created Taliban terrorist met his fate.
It is really EID, to receive such a news. Thank you USA.
Thank You USA !
Joke
Most wanted criminal, executed.
How can US killed its own accomplices? I don't trust
Do more.
Isnt it the 10th time? How many times is he going to die?
@Zak ... I hope he is not dead
Good riddance to bad trash!
great job!
good news
How many times Mullah Fazlullah has been killed by the American and Afghan forces? How many lives like a cat has he left?
@Zak Do you believe Osama was killed? no one saw his dead body.
Congratulations USA on the great job. Super, wonderful. Eid is a true Eid now with this beast gone.
Fazlulah was of little significance in comparison with Abdul Wali of JuA. The US use them and dispose them off when they outlive their utitilty.
Too early to comment.
Great! US is keeping its side of the bargain. When is Pakistan going to reciprocate with meaningful actions against Haqani Network, LeT and JeM?
Bad news for our friends India and Afghanistan.
Good job.....a terrorist is a terrorist....no discrimination...
From India
US fulfilled its promise.Now Pakistan should fulfill it's promise.
Al-hamdulillah
Thank you America. We only have issues when your drone kill innocent civilians. But for this, we are very grateful to you.
Great News. Wipe them out, they are killers of Innocent.
Thank you United States.
Great news!
Allegedly killed 10th time, probably true this time
He has been declared dead at least half a dozen times.
Thank you America! An Indian asset is eliminated
Step in right direction. There must be agreement between Pakistan and USA to do more on both sides.
Good to see Pakistani folk appreciating this news
Best News of 2018.
It's great if confirmed.
Each time Usa offers Taliban for diolouges and doing back stabbing. Last time yhe same way they targeted Mullah Mansur Akhtar. Just last week Ashraf Ghani has declared a ceasefire with taliban and offers for diologues. But still they are blaming Taliban for not coopreting.
Nothing surprising ..He had become useless for US
All the paid being killed by their master since no more required.
Not enough, do more.
Fazlullah overstayed his US/Afghan hosts welcome and hospitality. Now ISIS/Daesh is the new guest.
They know them all; their location and activities.
Its not enough, do more USA
Great news another terrorist sent to hell.
Again the ceasefire violation.
What about ISIS now? Emerging threat. Who is letting them establish in afg.
Well done USA.
These terrorists are illiterate people who become leaders without any proper knowledge both from Islamic and world point of view. The majority of these are funded by the anti Pakistan countries and forces working around Pakistan. Pakistan does not support these kind of movements rather condemns all such activosts who are severely harmful for Pakistan. There are many other in country political activists who are working against Pakistan since the independence. Combined with these talibans activists, Pakistan has to face the major junk of opponents. We are also sufferers of Afghan refugees who never went back even after the Afghan war with Russia was over. These economical, political and security burdens on Pakistan need to be addressed and tackled amicably in order to keep the country moving towards success and prosperity.
USA needs to 'do more' in Afghanistan.
@Tame an expected sentiment from an infinite enemy.
@ARYA Exactly.
@ARYA - "Do you believe Osama was killed?"
Wonderful conspiracy theory!
It seems to be good news at once, but they are Taliban, they dame care human, children, women. They may retaliate. Must be alert. At this time it is little difficult to cross border easily because of new fence. I would like to ask all security forces to be ALERT all the time.
This is a good news double celebration for Pakistan.
His death brings an end to organised terrorist activities in Pakistan. It would not be possible without clever diplomacy by general Bajwa.
We heard it so many times, when US wants some browny points, Mullah FM gets killed and than resurrected over, perhaps a character from West World.
We need more from US/Afghan and coalition forces. Let them know to do more.
@Zak , very true.
What proof do we have? Just because the forces in Afghanistan say that he has been killed so we trust them, secondly how many times had he been reported killed in the last few years, lastly, why this time has been picked to bring out the news. If for a second we believe that this news is true, then what, somebody else will take his place and the killing spree directed at Pakistan will continue. Pakistan Army should not take this news on face value.
Is it so easy to wipe out such individuals, or maybe he was useless now after serving his purpose so was taken out.
Thanks USA
US has just disposed off someone who they did not need anymore. Everyone knew he was in Kunar all along. The US and Afghans allowed him to kill hundreds of Pakistanis. And now the way the attacks inside Pakistan have been on decline since past few years and Fazlullah was not so successful anymore in destabilizing Pakistan, they show it as a favor to Pakistan.
A pawn is a pawn is still a pawn. When of no use, get rid of it as quickly as you can. Good.
Great job done by the US forces.
Let's hope three weeks from now he does not resurface ..... it's happened before and can happen again.
These drone strikes have to stop & soverignity of countries should be respected.
Too little, too late. After supporting TTP for more than 10 years now they claim to kill its leadership!
Great job America....
India must not be very happy if Fazlullah is indeed killed.
@AXH obviously but Indians were funding him
The negative comments towards the US are telling. One day you all will look back and realize the US, though definitely looking out for its own strategic interest, is/was a better partner than the Chinese.
Talk is cheap not without evidence. Without evidence is just another Trump statement.
He led the thug who shot a bullet into Malala's head, but now she has set foot again into Swat and shed tears of joy at coming to her home to her "beautiful valley".
Sadly, we cannot bring back the 140 innocent schoolchildren whom he had killed in Peshawar.
But at least he is dead now, at last, and can do no more evil.
Great news... Thank you USAF, now please wipe clean any and all of his suporters and sponsors alike.
EID gift to Pakistan people
Evil has come to an end though it bit late for Mulla Fazal....
No place to hide & plot
Well done US forces. It is time that we must improve our relationship with US. We are sick and tired of explosions that have badly affected our life and economy. It would have been a lot better if Afghan Government improve their relationship with Taliban. War is in nobody interest. Time to send back remaining refugees to Afghanistan. If India want to play bigger role in Afghanistan then refugees must be sent to India. We have enough of refugees and terrorism and must now concentrate to develop our country.
Killer has been killed. Thanks to US forces for killing this insane.
@BAKHTIAR UDDIN
We welcome it too. Now Pakistan needs to eliminate afghan talibans sheltered in quetta and bring them to negotiation with afghan govt..
Job Well Done Mr. Trump...Thank you so much.
interesting to understand why the US took out an indian asset,
had he been actually killed or just relocated
Good job and keep doing it many more to go. At least one less problem.
This is the best Eid gift from US to Pakistan.
@BAKHTIAR UDDIN Thank You, Bakhtiar. There is still hope for Pakistan as long as people like you exist there.
@Umair Because the accomplice turned against them. However, for whatever reason,it is still a step in the positive direction. Keep up the good work.
He has been killed many times. He shows up few months later.
Good that the enemy of mankind is dead. No sympathy for him.