Hakimullah takes over Taliban reins

Media reports say leading Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud has been appointed the new head of the militant group.

Media reports say leading Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud has been appointed the new head of the militant group.

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Saturday's reports come two weeks after Washington and Islamabad said the militants' chief, Baitullah Mehsud, was almost certainly killed by a missile strike.

Maulvi Faqir Mohammad told the BBC's Urdu service that a 42-member Taliban council, or shura, appointed a new head because Baitullah Mehsud was ill. Top Taliban commanders have insisted he was not killed in the August 5 CIA missile strike, but they have provided no proof he is still alive.