Successor to Pakistani militant chief killed in US drone strike namedJanuary 5, 2013 - 11:22 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A successor to Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir, who was killed in a US drone strike, has been announced. Bahawal Khan, who also goes by the name Salahuddin Ayubi, has taken command of Mullah Nazir's group, officials say, according to BBC News. Mullah Nazir died when two missiles struck his vehicle in the tribal area of South Waziristan on Wednesday, January 2. He headed one of four major insurgent factions in Pakistan's north-west and was a key figure in supplying fighters and support to the Afghan Taliban. "Ayubi, whose real name is Bahawal Khan, was appointed as top commander of the group after Nazir's funeral," a Pakistani intelligence official told the AFP news agency. Clerics and tribal elders had backed the appointment, a spokesman for the militant faction told the Express Tribune newspaper. Bahawal Khan, said to be aged 34 and an illiterate former bus driver, is a long-time close associate of Mullah Nazir, the two men having fought together alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan before the 2001 US invasion. According to BBC, Bilawal Khan is seen as hot-tempered, unlike his predecessor. But he is nevertheless expected to maintain the tribal consensus that Mullah Nazir had built up to keep his power base around the town of Wana largely peaceful. In recent years there have been divisions among Taliban militant groups based in Pakistan's tribal areas. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life, Strong Mind IDBank and Idram summarize the results of the May program of “The Power of One Dram”. Yerevan State University, Ucom sign Memorandum of Cooperation Rector of Yerevan State University Hovhannes Hovhannisyan and General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian signed the memorandum. EU to provide budgetary support to Armenia The agreement is aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the educational system of Armenia. Aliyev: No peace treaty unless Armenia changes constitution Azerbaijan will not sign a peace treaty with Armenia unless the latter changes its constitution, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said. |