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ISLAMABAD – A Taliban faction leader who was seen as the chief rival to the militant group's Pakistani head was fatally shot Tuesday, reportedly by one of his own guards.
The attack on Qari Zainuddin appeared to be a sign that divisions within the Taliban have broken into the open as they come under military assault. The army is clearing out militants from the Swat Valley and has been pounding strongholds of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in the South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan in apparent preparation for a major offensive.
Also Tuesday, suspected U.S. missiles hit a suspected Taliban training center, then more missiles hit an evening funeral procession for some of those killed in the earlier strikes, officials and witnesses said. Nine people were killed and several more wounded.
At least seven people were killed when three suspected U.S. missiles hit the training center in the village of Najmarai in the Makeen area of South Waziristan, said two intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to media.
Hours later, four more missiles blasted into a funeral procession for some of those killed in the earlier strike, killing two.
The attack on Qari Zainuddin appeared to be a sign that divisions within the Taliban have broken into the open as they come under military assault. The army is clearing out militants from the Swat Valley and has been pounding strongholds of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in the South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan in apparent preparation for a major offensive.
Also Tuesday, suspected U.S. missiles hit a suspected Taliban training center, then more missiles hit an evening funeral procession for some of those killed in the earlier strikes, officials and witnesses said. Nine people were killed and several more wounded.
At least seven people were killed when three suspected U.S. missiles hit the training center in the village of Najmarai in the Makeen area of South Waziristan, said two intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to media.
Hours later, four more missiles blasted into a funeral procession for some of those killed in the earlier strike, killing two.