PESHAWAR, Pakistan — The Pakistani Taliban withdrew their offer of peace talks Thursday after the death of the group’s deputy leader in a suspected American drone attack, a spokesman for the group said, a blow to the incoming government of Nawaz Sharif that was elected partly on promises to restore security after years of deadly attacks.
The death of Waliur Rehman, wanted by the U.S. for a 2009 attack in Afghanistan that killed seven people working for the CIA, focuses attention on the controversial U.S. drone program.
Despite President Barack Obama’s sweeping promise last week of new transparency, the strike Wednesday against a longtime American target shows that the CIA will still launch attacks on militants without explaining them publicly.
The announcement by the Pakistani Taliban came amid conflicting reports about whether the Islamic militant movement had selected a replacement for Rehman, killed in an attack that Pakistani officials said also left at least four other militants dead.
Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said the group is discussing whether Khan Sayed, Rehman’s deputy, will succeed him as head of the militant group’s most powerful branch in South Waziristan, which would effectively make him the second-in-command.
Two Taliban commanders said commanders voted in favor of Sayed at a meeting, but Ahsan said a vote had yet to be taken.
Sayed, thought to be about 40 years old, is known mainly for coordinating attacks in Afghanistan, say intelligence and militant sources. He was responsible for organizing an assault on a prison in northwestern Pakistan in April 2012 in which close to 400 prisoners were freed, including 20 who were considered dangerous insurgents.
Ahsan also told The Associated Press that the militants withdrew an offer to join peace talks because they think the Pakistani government approves of the U.S. drone strikes, despite official statements to the contrary.
