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Published 29 May, 2016 08:59pm

DNA test confirms Mullah Mansour's death in US drone strike

ISLAMABAD: A spokesman of the Ministry of Interior on Sunday said it had been confirmed through DNA test that the second person killed in the US drone attack in Balochistan was former chief of Afghan Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

“It is confirmed that Mullah Mansour was killed in the US drone strike in Noshki area of Balochistan,” interior ministry’s spokesperson said.

He said the confirmation was made after conducting a DNA test of Mullah Mansour’s body and matching it with the DNA of a close relative of Mullah Mansour — who had come to claim the body.

“DNA of Mansour matched with one of his relative who came to receive his body from Afghanistan.”

According to interior ministry’s spokesperson, the other person killed in the attack has also been identified.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had confirmed on Thursday, after five days of the drone strike, the death of Afghan Taliban chief in Balochistan.

The drone strike was also the first in the restive province of Balochistan, considered a red-line by the Pakistani government. Authorisation for the strike came directly from US President Barack Obama.

"All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Mansour, who was travelling on a fake identity," confirmed the adviser to the PM on foreign affairs.

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