Al-Sahab, the Al-Qaeda media company, has released a new video in which Hakimullah Mehsud, the new Emir of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (Movement of the Pakistani Taliban), explains why his fighters are waging war against Pakistan. The video was released at a time when Pakistan's Army is about to launch a ground offensive as part of its operation against Taliban militants in the tribal district of South Waziristan. Introducing the video is Maulana Waliur Rehman, one of the key commanders of the Taliban leadership in Pakistan who has a scholarly reputation and is known as a man of Islamic learning. He notes that following the "martyrdom" of Baitullah Mehsud, he was appointed Emir for the Mehsud region of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. (Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal district is predominantly inhabited by the Mehsud tribe.) In his remarks, Maulana Waliur Rehman notes that "with the martyrdom of Baitullah Mehsud, the hearts of ours and of all Muslims sympathetic to Muslim Ummah are broken, but... [here he quotes from the Koran to say that] jihad has to continue. In the event faced with a big tragedy, we are not prepared to abandon this [jihad]...." Following these remarks, Maulana Waliur Rehman invites Hakimullah Mehsud, the Emir of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, to shed light on why they are waging war against Pakistan. Then, after Hakimullah Mehsud finishes his statements, he invites Maulana Waliur Rehman "to remove people's misgivings about the existing system." Following is the text of Hakimullah Mehsud's statements, as well as excerpts from Maulana Waliur Rehman's statements: ...
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