Re: Peshawar in a State of Siege
Yeah, blaming others for our own monsters. Where have I heard that before?
**Pakistan presses on with offensive vs. militants **
By RIAZ KHAN, Associated Press WriterSun Jun 29, 12:01 PM ET
PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Pakistani paramilitary forces destroyed a handful of militant centers and uncovered alleged torture cells as they pressed ahead Sunday with an offensive against extremists near the Afghan border, officials said. {Ehtasab: Continuing with paramilitary, why is army not being sent there?}
A spokesman for Pakistan’s top Taliban commander promised Sunday that militants **would retaliate against the government, and were suspending efforts to reach and implement peace deals. **{Ehtasab: we were about to make a peace accord after taking over Peshawar}
The operation in the Khyber tribal area is a shift for Pakistan’s new government, which has sought to reduce violence through the peace deals. But with extremists increasingly threatening Peshawar, a major northwest city, and ambushing supply convoys bound for U.S.-led coalition troops in Afghanistan, the government turned to its troops.
The paramilitary Frontier Corps killed one attacker but encountered relatively little resistance since launching the operation Saturday, officials said.
Troops, backed by tanks and armored personnel carriers, quickly cleared militants out of Khyber’s Bara region, said Muhammad Siddiq Khan, a local official. They then moved into areas outside Bara.
The troops destroyed at least four militant centers and uncovered a privately run jail, said Habibullah Khan, additional chief secretary for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
“The criminals were running a parallel administration in the area,” Khan said. “They were kidnapping the people, trying them and punishing them and the government is fully determined not to allow anyone to run a parallel administration.”
Khan said the jail contained what he called “torture cells” with special equipment, but offered no details.
Rehman Malik, head of the Interior Ministry, said forces destroyed a radio station used by the militants to broadcast propaganda.
Khan said the operation would continue for several more days and insisted it was not aimed at any particular militant group.
The semi-autonomous tribal areas, where the federal government has long had limited authority, are home to many militant groups, some of whom are engaged in feuds.
On Saturday, authorities blew up the headquarters of militant leader Menghal Bagh, who had apparently fled. The operation was also expected to target Haji Namdar, whose Vice and Virtue Movement is suspected of attacks against coalition soldiers in Afghanistan. {Ehtasab: Yet another militant leader fled, nice job!}
Baitullah Mehsud, the top Taliban leader in Pakistan, said he was suspending talks between his allies and the government. His spokesman, Maulvi Umar, said the Taliban would avenge any government use of force in the tribal areas and other border regions. He said the government was not honoring its commitment to peace efforts. {Ehtasab: Sure, you and “talks” are very credible}
“The government should not ruin the country just to please the Western world and should immediately halt the operation in Khyber agency,” Umar told The Associated Press on Sunday. “If it is not stopped it will bear very grave results.” {Ehtasab: yeah the govt should not ruin the country, let us do that job alone}
{cont’d… follow the link}
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080629/ap_on_re_as/pakistan;_ylt=Agn4h9uZp_gSYPlc88bED..s0NUE
Re: Peshawar in a State of Siege
Unfortunately the power center of Pakistan, whether it me Musharaf in hay days or Zardari now, are holding several ferocious animals by the tails - the ISI, the refusenik commanders of the military, the religious extremist leaders, the provincial supremos - these four animals want to support the terrorists and are getting red hot. Then you have the US givernment who Musharaf thought he could "play" and both ended up playing each other. Finally Zardari, in addition to these tails, is holding yet another - the Nawas Sharief corner whose 'restore CJ' stance is gaining momentum.
Even given all this, it is surprising that a amateur provincial militant force is able to actually march in and take over towns and cities. This cannot be happening without army complicity.
Unless they are cracked down comprehensively these only gain momentum and support and can become a paralell force
Re: Peshawar in a State of Siege
please dont refer to pakistani institutions as 'animals'.
Re: Peshawar in a State of Siege
^ no insult meant vigaratus. just using the tiger by the tail analogy.
Re: Peshawar in a State of Siege
Blowing up empty mud buildings is not a proper counter insurgency operation.