Taliban rejects reports about Fazlullah being on 'death bed'

Islamabad, July 12 (ANI): The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has rejected government claims about Mullah Fazlullah fighting for life.

TTP spokesperson Maulvi Umar said over the phone that all reports about Fazlullah were false and 'baseless'.

He claimed that Fazlullah was safe and that the Taliban leadership had gone underground in Buner, Dir and Swat as part of a long term strategy.

He also denied reports about top commander Shah Duran being killed in an airstrike.

Earlier, the Daily times quoted the Army as claiming that Fazlullah was hit, but that it could not confirm the report.

"Maulana Fazlullah has been hurt in an airstrike.But we cannot confirm his exact condition at the moment," ISPR spokesperson Major General Athar Abbas said.

The BBC reported that he (Fazlullah) had been seriously injured in the ongoing military offensive, and was on his 'death bed'.

"Maulana Fazlullah was actually hit in two airstrikes, and is critically wounded. He is now stranded in Imam Dehri without any access to medical assistance and is close to death," the BBC quoted Mingora resident Wasif Ali, as saying. (ANI)