badruddin Haqani and Five east Turkistan Movements militants killed in three separate drone strikes on north and South waziristan Border

By Umar Daraz wazir

Drone strike in Pakistan may have killed the 2nd commander of the Haqqani network, the insurgent group behind some of the most high-profile attacks on Western and Afghan government targets in Afghanistan, Pakistani intelligence officials and militant sources said on Saturday.

The officials said Badruddin Haqqani, brother of Siraj Ud din haqani 2nd in command,may have been killed during a drone strikes held in Pakistan’s tribal North and south Waziristan border on Friday afternoon.

An intelligence sources said that among three separate drone strikes conducted in North and south Waziristan border in three separate areas name makay kamar, lwara panga and tunda dara in which five high profile militants of east Turkistan movement(ETM) were killed. They were identified as emeto yakuf local name Abdul jabar, yaku emeti, saleh, tuersun toheti local name zabih ullah, mukhtar and two were of TTP name kareem and mati ullah.

Local officials, intelligence and some militants sources confirming the killing of east Turkistan movements militants, but the nearest friends of badruddin haqani termed the death of badruddin baseless.

Local and international media report 16 killed in the three separate drone strikes, but locals in the area said a total of 35 militants were killed in these three attacks.

If Badruddin’s death is confirmed, it could deal a major blow to the Haqqanis, one of the United States’s most feared enemies in Afghanistan.

The Haqqanis are the most experienced fighters in Afghanistan and the loss of one of the group’s most important leaders could ease pressure on Nato as it prepares to withdraw most of its combat troops at the end of 2014.