Suspected US missiles hit a house today in a Pakistani tribal region along the Afghan border, killing at least 10 suspected militants including a possible al Qaida operative, intelligence officials said.

The Pakistani Taliban released a video – apparently dated early April – of their leader promising an attack on major US cities “in some days or a month”, a monitoring group said today.

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the failed car bomb attack in Times Square in New York City, according to a message released on the internet.

A Pakistani Taliban leader thought to have been killed in a US missile strike earlier this year is now believed to have survived, an intelligence official said today.

THE Pakistani army said yesterday it was investigating reports Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud died from injuries sustained in a US drone missile strike in mid-January.

Suspected US missiles hit a compound and a bunker in Pakistan’s tribal region today, killing nine militants as part of an unprecedented wave of strikes since a deadly attack against the CIA across the border in Afghanistan, intelligence officials said.

A top terror leader praised the suicide attack on a CIA outpost in Afghanistan today and said it was to avenge the deaths of a Pakistani Taliban leader and two al-Qaida figures.

Pakistani troops entered the last of three Taliban strongholds targeted in a major offensive in the north-west today.

Militants fired on helicopter gunships and attacked Pakistani troops advancing into their main sanctuary near the Afghan border today as the army pressed ahead with its most critical offensive yet against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

More than 30,000 Pakistani soldiers launched a ground offensive against al Qaida and the Taliban’s main stronghold along the Afghan border today in the country’s toughest test yet against a strengthening insurgency.

A SUSPECTED suicide bomber killed 41 people in an attack on the Pakistani military yesterday as the Taliban claimed responsibility for a weekend raid on the army’s headquarters.

A suicide car bombing targeting Pakistani troops killed 41 people today, the fourth militant attack in just over a week, as the Taliban pledged to mobilise fighters across the country for more strikes.

At least 19 people died as Pakistani commandos freed dozens of hostages seized by militants at the army's own headquarters today.

Militants were holding several security officers hostage inside Pakistan's army headquarters today after they and others attacked the complex in an audacious assault on the country's most powerful institution.

Gunmen wearing military uniforms and wielding assault rifles and grenades attacked Pakistan’s army headquarters today, sparking a ferocious gun battle outside the capital that killed four of the assailants and at least six soldiers, authorities said.

A team of gunmen wielding assault rifles and grenades tried to break into Pakistan’s army headquarters today, sparking a ferocious 45-minute gun battle outside the capital that ended when all the assailants were killed, authorities said.

PAKISTAN braced yesterday for more militant attacks ahead of an anticipated offensive against a Taliban stronghold, as the insurgents said they bombed a UN relief agency because international aid work was not in “the interest of Muslims”.

Taliban militants claimed responsibility today for a suicide bomb attack at the UN food agency in Pakistan’s capital in which five people were killed, saying international relief work in Pakistan was not in “the interest of Muslims”.

Two suicide car bombs killed 16 people and wounded about 150 others in separate attacks in north-western Pakistan today, just days after the Taliban warned suicide strikes were coming if the military pressed forward with an offensive.

A Taliban commander known for beheading opponents died today from wounds sustained during his capture last week, Pakistan’s army said.

Two Pakistani Taliban commanders acknowledged that top leader Baitullah Mehsud is dead, saying he died 18 days after a US missile strike and disputing reports that the al Qaida linked movement he left behind is falling apart.

THE commander named by members of the Pakistani Taliban as its new leader is as ruthless as his predecessor, taking credit for several attacks, and could order more in the coming weeks to prove the terror network is still in business.

The Taliban and the Pakistani government are engaged in a bloody conflict, leaving 2 million displaced people caught in the crossfire of a battle that could determine the future of Pakistan itself. Noel Baker witnessed the effect on the victims

The Pakistani Taliban’s top spokesman has been captured in an operation near the Afghan border.

GORDON Brown yesterday pledged to push ahead with the “vital” mission in Afghanistan as the UK death toll passed the 200 mark.

President Barack Obama’s special envoy to Pakistan has praised the country’s “very significant” progress in taking back key territory from the Taliban and promised more weapons for the fight against extremists close to the Afghan border.

PAKISTANI authorities are increasingly convinced that the notorious head of the country’s Taliban movement was killed in a CIA missile strike, as reports emerged of an apparently bloody battle for his succession.

PAKISTAN’S Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who led a violent campaign of suicide attacks against the Pakistani government, has been killed in a US missile strike, an aide to Mehsud said yesterday.

Pakistan’s Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud has been killed by a US missile strike.

Pakistan’s Taliban chief has been killed in a CIA missile strike and his body buried, three intelligence officials said today.

SECURITY forces have rescued several children forcibly recruited by the Taliban, allegedly to be used as fighters or suicide bombers, and there could be hundreds more like them, an army official has said.

ONE of Osama bin Laden’s sons was probably killed by a US missile strike in Pakistan earlier this year, US National Public Radio reported, citing US intelligence sources.

US missile attacks killed at least 45 Taliban in their Pakistan stronghold of South Waziristan today.

Suspected US missiles struck a training camp run by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud today, killing at least 12 militants in the latest in a flurry of strikes against him and his followers, intelligence officials said.

Pakistani fighter jets today bombed suspected Taliban positions in a tribal region that could end up the focus of a future military offensive, killing as many as six people, intelligence officials said.

Pakistan has ramped up its campaign against Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, placing a bounty on the chieftain’s head and launching air strikes on his stronghold in the country’s north-west.

US drones prowled the sky over Pakistan’s South Waziristan yesterday, a day after one of the aircraft attacked a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, killing about 70 militants.

A TALIBAN faction leader who was seen as the chief rival to the militant group’s Pakistani head was fatally shot yesterday, reportedly by one of his own guards. The attack on Qari Zainuddin appeared to be a sign that divisions within the Taliban have broken into the open as they come under military assault.

Pakistan stepped up its offensive in tribal areas on the Afghanistan border today, launching airstrikes against Taliban forces who attacked three military bases.

Pakistani troops backed by jet fighters and artillery killed about 50 militants in a volatile north-western tribal region near Afghanistan where the country's top Taliban leader is believed to be entrenched with thousands of his fighters, officials said today.

Pakistani jet fighters flattened at least three suspected Taliban training facilities in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region today, killing or wounding several insurgents, two senior intelligence officials said.

Suspected US missile strikes pounded the hide-outs of a Taliban commander in north-western Pakistan today, killing at least eight people, government officials said.

Army surveillance planes today flew over suspected militant strongholds in Pakistan’s north-western tribal district where a major offensive is planned, and helicopter gunships hit several targets in advance strikes, officials said.

A suspected US missile strike killed at least five people today in a tribal region where Pakistan’s top Taliban commander is based, intelligence officials said.