The Pakistani military said Wednesday its helicopter gunships attacked
Taliban targets in the South Waziristan tribal region bordering
Afghanistan.
The strikes were aimed at militant hideouts east of the region's main
town of Wana. Two soldiers have been killed in the operation.
Tuesday, the Pakistani Taliban announced that their leader, Baitullah
Mehsud, died Sunday from wounds suffered in a suspected U.S missile
strike on August 5.
U.S. and Pakistani officials had said they believed Mehsud was killed
in the strike in South Waziristan, but until Tuesday, the Taliban had
insisted he was alive.
Meanwhile, the group's new leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, has threatened
the United States to avenge the death of the late commander.
In his first public comments after taking over, Mehsud said "the
Taliban will take revenge and soon will give reply to the drone attack."