Pakistani Taliban fighters secretly buried their leader yesterday after he was killed by a US drone aircraft and quickly moved to replace him while vowing a wave of revenge suicide bombings.

The Pakistani Government denounced the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud as a US bid to derail planned peace talks and summoned the US Ambassador to protest. Some lawmakers retaliated by demanding the blocking of US supply lines into Afghanistan.

America and their friends shouldn’t be happy because we will take revenge for our martyr’s blood

“The murder of Hakimullah is the murder of all efforts at peace,” said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. “Americans said they support our efforts at peace. Is this support?”

Mehsud, who had a $5 million US bounty on his head, and three others were killed on Friday in the militant stronghold of Miranshah in northwest Pakistan.

Mehsud’s vehicle was hit after he attended a meeting of Taliban leaders, a Pakistani Taliban fighter said, adding that his body was “damaged but recognisable”. His bodyguard and driver were also killed.

He was secretly buried under cover of darkness in the early hours by a few companions amid fears that his funeral might be attacked by US drones, militants and security sources said.

“Every drop of Hakimullah’s blood will turn into a suicide bomber,” said Azam Tariq, a Pakistani Taliban spokesman.

“America and their friends shouldn’t be happy because we will take revenge for our martyr’s blood.” Mehsud took over as leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Pakistani Taliban in 2009. The group’s two previous leaders were killed in attacks by US missile-firing drones.

Taliban commanders said they wanted to replace him with the movement’s number two, Khan Said, known as Sajna.