Top Taliban commander killed in Pakistan

Top Taliban commander Usman Punjabi has been killed during in-fighting within militant groups at the North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan.

Talking to rediff.com via phone from North Waziristan's Shakir Dawar, a local tribesman said, "Fighting erupted among two groups of the Punjabi Taliban. Usman Punjabi, along with three companions, and two persons from the rival group were killed on the spot." 

Punjabi was an active member of the Punjabi Taliban, which is also known as Asian Tigers. He planned most of the attacks on government installations in Punjab. He was also involved in the kidnapping of former Pakistani Inter-Services-Intelligence officer Khalid Khwaja, British journalist of Pakistani origin Asad Qureshi and former ISI officer Sultan Tarar, who was popularly known as Colonel Imam.

Khwaja was killed later when the government failed to comply with Punjabi's demands for his release. The two others are still being held hostage by the Punjabi Taliban.