ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 23 (UPI) -- Qari Zainuddin, a rival of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, was shot and killed Tuesday in the northwest region, the victim's aide told Geo TV.
The aide was quoted as saying Zainuddin, who died in Dera Ismail Khan, was shot by Gulbadeen Mehsud, a resident of nearby Makeen, who later managed to escape. Zainuddin had recently been speaking against Mehsud, the report said.
Another associate of Zainuddin sustained injuries in the incident, GEO TV said.
A CNN report quoted police as saying Zainuddin was shot as he slept in a residence. It said he had been a Taliban commander and an ally of Mehsud before he defected to the government.
The report said Zainuddin's defection was seen by the Pakistani military as a major gain in its campaign against the Taliban in the northwest region of Swat Valley and his death could discourage others from taking similar steps.
The latest development comes as the military begins to wind down its operations in the Swat Valley and focus its new campaign in the tribal region of South Waziristan where Mehsud is suspected to be holed up.
