Al Qaeda intelligence chief killed in Wana operation
By Shaukat Piracha
ISLAMABAD: Al Qaeda intelligence chief Abdullah and 62 other terrorists and their sympathisers were killed during the military operation in Wana last week, ISPR Director General Major General Shaukat Sultan said on Monday.
He was addressing a joint news briefing with Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan. Gen Sultan would not give details such as the man’s nationality, full name or how and when he was killed. “Mr Abdullah, who was the chief of Al-Qaeda intelligence, was killed in this operation,” Gen Sultan said. He said “independent intelligence sources” confirmed Mr Abdullah’s killing.
Troops captured 167 militants, including 73 foreigners and 94 local sympathisers, he said. Gen Sultan said Kaloosha was completely cleared of miscreants. “There are no other tribal communities that we know of sheltering and harbouring militants. But if there are, we will find out,” he said.
Gen Sultan said senior Uzbek al Qaeda leader, Tahir Yuldashev, was injured and on the run. He said 46 personnel of the security forces died and 26 were injured in the operation. He said the 12 abducted paramilitaries were released unconditionally.
Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistan will not be cowed down by threats like the one attributed to Al Qaeda second in command Al Zawahri.
He said Pakistan agreed with a recent statement by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that peace could not be one-sided. The spokesman said there was a need for concerted mutual efforts for peace in the region. Mr Khan said Pakistan and India needed to resolve issues on the basis of mutuality and reciprocity.
The spokesman said Pakistan had not received any communication for the inspection of its nuclear installations. He said Pakistan’s investigation into nuclear proliferation was thorough, which determined that no senior military official was involved
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