Pakistani Forces Kill 90 Militants, CIA Blames Mehsud

by Rob Walker | January 18, 2008 at 08:50 am

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A series of attacks between militants and Pakistani security forces ended in the deaths of up to 90 militants, said military officials. The attacks are thought to be the work of al Qaeda-linked militant leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Pakistani forces killed up to 90 militants in two battles on Friday in the South Waziristan region on the Afghan border, the military said.

The clashes came two days after hundreds of militants overran a paramilitary fort in another part of South Waziristan, dealing the military a setback in its efforts to defeat the al Qaeda-linked militants.

In one incident on Friday, government forces attacked a large number of militants who had gathered to attack another attack fort in the region, at Ladha, killing 50 to 60 of them. The rest dispersed, said military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas.

The CIA has pointed the finger at Mehsud for the assasination of Benazir Bhutto.

The official identified Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud as a
leading suspect, saying there's "good information that leads us to
believe he is the guy responsible."

On Saturday, a spokesman for Mehsud denied his involvement, The Associated Press reported.

Earlier Friday, the Pakistani Interior Ministry said it had
"intelligence intercepts" indicating he was behind Bhutto's death the
day before in Rawalpindi.