Haqqani brother killed in North Waziristan strike?

Siraj_Haqqani-1.jpg

Click to view slide show of commanders in the Haqqani Network. Pictured is a composite image of Siraj Haqqani.

Daily Times is reporting that Mohammed Haqqani, a son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, may have been killed in the Feb. 18 airstrike in North Waziristan that targeted his brother Siraj:

Four Taliban, including Taliban commander Mohammed Haqqani, son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, were killed when US drones fired two missiles in North Waziristan on Thursday, a private TV channel reported.

Without quoting any official, the channel stated that the son of the most wanted Afghan Taliban commander was reportedly among those killed in the latest US drone strike. Two other Taliban were also injured in the attack.

Mohammed is not a top-level Haqqani commander, according to intelligence officials I spoke to. The officials said Siraj was the target, but he is thought to have survived the strike. The officials could not confirm if Mohammed Haqqani had been killed.

If Mohammed was killed, it may be an indication that US intelligence on the Haqqani Network is improving. Getting one of Siraj’s brothers is a good indication that the noose may be tightening.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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