Top Pro-Taliban commander killed in Pakistan

Islamabad, July 24 (UNI) Top pro-Taliban militant commander Abdullah Mehsud blew himself up after security forces raided his hideout in a southwestern Pakistani town of Zhob bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan Interior Ministry said today.

It said the militant commander, who led the insurgency in the country's restive town of South Waziristan in 2004 after being released from Guantanama Bay, exploded a hand grenade to blow himself up when his hideout was raided last night.

Mehsud was involved in kidnapping two Chinese engineers in October 2004 from South Waziristan. Pakistan army had later recovered the two engineers but one of them sucummbed to his injuries.

Mehsud's death came against the backdrop of mounting US pressure on Pakistan for a military action against militants hiding in the country's tribal regions and indications that foreign troops might also carry out operations in these areas to track down militants.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, however, described yesterday's statements by US officials as ''irresponsible and dangerous''.

UNI