Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud on Saturday issued a new audio recording saying he was alive and well, dismissing reports that he was killed in a United States' drone attack in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.
The recording was provided by the Taliban to the media in northwest Pakistan a day after another audio message -- in which Mehsud said he was alive but did not mention Thursday's drone strike in Waziristan tribal region -- triggered reports of his death.
"After the audio message I released on Friday, some people speculated and said that I did not mention the date," Mehsud is heard saying in the new recording.
"Today, on the 16th of January, I am saying it again. I am alive, I am OK, I am not injured, when the drone strike took place, I was not present in the area at that time," he added.
Missiles fired by US drones killed at least 15 militants in a Taliban training camp in Waziristan on Thursday and security officials had said that Mehsud might be among the dead. Mehsud dismissed the reports of his death as the "propaganda of Kafirs (unbelievers) aimed at weakening the Taliban".
The Pakistan government will be responsible for 'any dangerous steps' taken by the Taliban in retaliation against further drone attacks, Mehsud warned.
Earlier, Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq and other commanders too had denied reports of Mehsud's death. Mehsud assumed leadership of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan after his predecessor Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike in August last year.
The US stepped up drone attacks in North Waziristan after a suicide bomber linked to the Taliban killed seven Central Intelligence Agency operatives at a forward base in the neighbouring Khost province in Afghanistan.
Two US drone strikes on Friday killed 11 militants in North Waziristan.
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