| Authorities were investigating whether a senior Taliban leader was among nine suspected militants killed near Khar, the main town in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region, officials said Friday. Helicopter gunships fired Thursday on the group, said Mohammed Khan, a government official. The firing struck two vehicles. Khan said the targeted vehicles had previously been in the use of Maulvi Faqir Mohammed, who is believed to be an associate of Ayman al-Zawahri. But he added it had yet to be confirmed whether Mohammed was there at the time. Late Thursday, Mohammed's spokesman claimed he had escaped the attack. The spokesman could not immediately be reached Friday. |