Wali ur Rehman

Wali-ur-Rehman was a senior Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander based in South Waziristan. He was formerly a spokesman for Baitullah Mehsud, the late leader of the TTP. He joined the Taliban in 2004 and became a member of the TTP's shura council. He was involved in several attacks against Pakistani security forces and NATO troops in Afghanistan. He was also accused of being behind the 2009 suicide bombing at a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan, that killed seven CIA operatives. He was considered a contender for the leadership of the TTP after Baitullah Mehsud's death in 2009, but lost to Hakimullah Mehsud. He was reported to have been killed by a US drone strike on a compound in North Waziristan on 29 May 2013, along with six of his associates. His death was confirmed by the TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan. He was regarded as a moderate and pragmatic leader within the TTP, who favored peace talks with the Pakistani government.