Drone strike aftermath: Militant 'Kennedys' pose bigger threat than Pakistani Taliban

Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud, seen here in 2008, was killed by a U.S. drone strike on Friday. His group has been blamed for 45,000 deaths but it is not considered the region's most dangerous militant organization. Photo by AFP - Getty Images, file.

      In Kabul, Afghanistan, hours after the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, the militant group's counterparts across the border condemned the "cowardly U.S. drone attack." It was said that the Afghan Taliban state, "If America believes that by martyring mujahedeen, they will somehow create a void and reach their selfish aims then they are greatly mistaken." Mehsud's Pakistani Taliban is responsible for the death of at least 40,000 civilians and 5,000 troops during its decade-long insurgency against the country's government. The Pakistani Taliban have also been known to support their Afghan brothers-in-arms, who are a separate group under the leadership of the elusive Mullah Mohammed Omar.


This was published on Tuesday 5th, November, 2013 by Wajahat S. Khan, Producer, NBC News, on NBC World News. NBC News' Akbar Shinwari and Fazul Rahim contributed to this report. This photo was taken by AFP - Getty Images.
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