Pakistan militant Mullah Nazir killed 'in drone attack'

Senior Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir has been killed by a US drone strike, security officials say.

He died with at least five fighters when two missiles struck his vehicle in the north-west tribal district of South Waziristan.

He was leader of one of four major militant factions in Pakistan and was accused of sending fighters to Afghanistan in support of the Taliban.

Mullah Nazir is one of the most high-profile insurgents killed by drones.

He had survived several attempts to kill him, including a suicide bomb attack blamed on rival militants in November.

He and his fighters were reportedly hit by the missiles on Wednesday while preparing to change vehicles.

His pick-up truck had apparently developed a fault in Angoor Adda, near South Waziristan's main town of Wana.

Reports say Mullah Nazir's deputy, Ratta Khan, was also killed in the attack.

Officials also said four militants were killed in a separate attack in North Waziristan, but their identities are not known.
'Significant blow'

Local residents were quoted as saying that they had heard on mosque loudspeakers announcements that Mullah Nazir was dead. Funeral prayers were said for him.

Mullah Nazir's group is one of several militant factions operating in Pakistan's restive north-west - in recent years there have been divisions among these groups.

Analysts say Mullah Nazir formed an alliance with the government and opposed the Pakistani Taliban, with whom he was at odds because he favoured attacking US forces in Afghanistan rather than Pakistani soldiers.

After November's attack on him, his faction told a rival group led by Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, to leave the Wana area.

Reports say he was also seen as an enemy of militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and praised by Pakistan for expelling Uzbek and other foreign fighters from Pakistan in 2007.

-BBC