The Haqqani network holds sway in Khost, Patika, and Paktika provinces in south-eastern Afghanistan north of Kandahar. Their rear-base is in infmaous North Waziristan. Jalaluddin Haqqani was a famous resistance fighter against the Soviets who appeared at the White House once in the 80's. His son, Siraj Haqqani, has taken over for the ailing militant chief. His son is also widely thought to perhaps even sit on al Qaeda's military shura or council. He provides shelter to al Qaeda and many other militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) better known as the Pakistani Taliban.
There is a report stating that he has been killed by drone.
CBS News report that the most recent drone attack in North Waziristan, the second in a week on that same village, targeted the ailing Jalaluddin Haqqani.(hat tip to Mogolori)
Instead, the source says, his two sons, one of whom, Seraj, is widely believed to be Haqqani’s successor, were hit and killed.
It is way too early to say anything other than wait and see on this one. If it's true, it's major news. Siraj can always be replaced, but he's been basically running the Haqqani network for his ailing father just as Mullah Baradar was running the Quetta Shura for his "big brother" Mullah Omar. However, Siraj was indisputably effective as a leader and probably impossible to negotiate with, It will also majorly boost morale leading up to the troop surge in this region while further demoralizing the Taliban's and other militants.
If true, it would have been better if Siraj was captured alive. If there's one Taliban leader who knew where Osama bin Laden was, it'd have probably have been Siraj. But again, wait and see on this one. Ultimately it would have been difficult to capture Siraj without a major Pakistani offensive into North Waziristan.
The Daily Times reported the death of one of Jalaluddin Haqqani's other sons, while Newsweek speculates on the fate of Siraj. As a reminder, Newsweek broke the Mullah Salam story.
"He was targeted as part of a strike, and we think he might have been hit, but I’m waiting for the DNA tests. We’ve been trying to kill him for a long time, and he’s escaped before," a senior Pakistani official told NEWSWEEK.
By the way, that Pakistani official is full of shit when he claims that they've been targeting him for a long time, but I digress;
Wait and see, but remember that Siraj Haqqani runs the most dangerous element of the Afghan Taliban. Here's a profile of him.