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Pakistan army kills 40 militants near Afghan border
Why it's almost like the Pakistani's were expecting an important visitor.
Pakistan's army killed around 40 Al-Qaeda suspects in a ground and air strike in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan. One soldier also died and 15 were wounded.
The raid came as US President George Bush, on his surprise first trip to Kabul, said he would discuss cross-border infiltration by militants when he meets President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to Pakistan starting Friday.
Pakistan army spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said the raid on a sprawling hideout at Saidgai village in North Waziristan tribal region followed intelligence that there was a big gathering of foreign militants.
Helicopter gunships pounded the militant complex, which housed eight residential quarters, before ground troops moved in for a search operation, prompting a fierce gunbattle.
Local administration official Zaheerul Islam said the militants were targeted following information that they were carrying out attacks across the Afghan border.
"We have reports up to 40 militants, mainly foreigners, were killed in the raid on the compound where there was a big gathering of foreign militants," a security official in the region told AFP.
Another 20 were wounded. Sultan said foreign militants and their local supporters were killed in the operation but he did not have the exact death toll or the nationalities of those involved.
A local official said among those killed was an Al-Qaeda Chechen commander who was targeted when he tried to escape the raid. He was identified as Imam.
The Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the raid was conducted on specific information that Al-Qaeda was using the compound as a base to launch attacks across the border. "It was an Al-Qaeda camp and a training center," the official said.
Sultan said militants had stored a big cache of ammunition in the compound which caught fire after the air strike. Explosions were heard an hour after the raid.
Kabul has frequently said Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters were using Pakistani border areas to launch attacks inside Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai, when he visited Islamabad last month, handed over a list of around 40 Taliban rebels said to be in Pakistan.
Bush told reporters in Kabul after talks with Karzai that the cross-border attacks were harming US troops, some 20,000 of whom are deployed in Afghanistan -- mainly along the border with Pakistan. "I will bring up the cross-border infiltrations with President Musharraf," Bush told reporters. "These infiltrations are causing harm to friends, allies and cause harm to US troops. And that will be a topic of conversation."
NORTH WAZOO (Rantburg News Service): With President George W. Bush on the way for a visit, Pakistani forces staged a rare demonstration of initiative by attacking a nest of terrorists in North Waziristan. 40 turbans were reported killed in a ground and air strike on a tribal region bordering Afghanistan. One soldier was killed and 15 were reported wounded.
The raid, the first in over a year, was designed to avert a stern talking-to by Mr. Bush to President-General Pervez Musharraf. Mr. Bush is currently in Kabul on a surprise visit, and Musharraf is unable to point to significant results along the Afghan border in the past year, despite having been provided by Afghan President Hamid Karzai with names, addresses, phone numbers, girlfriends' names, and shoe sizes of known Taliban, al-Qaeda, and Murder, Incorporated figures infesting the region.
Pak army spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan, the very model of a modern major general, said the raid on the sprawling hideout at Saidgai village, which had somehow been overlooked for years, followed intelligence reports of a large gathering of foreign terrorists. Such gatherings have been happening weekly since late 2001.
Helicopter gunships, usually unavailable for such actions without a U.S. president on the way for a visit, pounded the terrorist manor house, which consisted of eight barracks blocks, a parade ground, firing range, ammunition dump, and dungeon. Ground troops moved in for a search operation, prompting a serious gunbattle.
Local administration official Zaheerul Islam, a devout fellow with a long beard and a large turban, said the terrorists were targeted following information that they were carrying out attacks across the Afghan border for the past five years. "No one noticed during that time, but as soon as we did, we got right on it, by golly," he said. "So Perv can just tell Mr. Bush that there's no truth to the story that we haven't been doing anything out here in the sticks. He doesn't have to send in B52s or anything, because we're on top of it. Really. We are."
"We have reports up to 40 militants, mainly foreigners certainly nobody from around here were killed in the raid on the compound where there was a big gathering of foreign militants," a security official in the region told AFP. "It's terrible, the way those foreigners came in and mucked up our peaceful corner of North Waziristan. It's shameful. We're glad they're dead. I'm sure all the bodies will be recovered soon, unless their compatriots dragged them off like they usually do. You can tell Mr. Bush they're all dead. They won't bother him again."
Another 20 terrorists were reported wounded, none seriously. Sultan said foreign militants and their local supporters were killed in the operation but he did not have the exact death toll or the nationalities of those involved. "I'm sure there were a lot of them," he said. "You shoulda seen it! Helicopters zooming in! Guns being fired! People screaming! Oh, yes! I'm very sure there are lots of dead terrorists. Mr. Bush should be very well pleased!"
A local official said among those killed was an Al-Qaeda Chechen commander. "A very bad man," the local official described him, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead despite the brutal Waziristan winter. "Everyone was afraid of him. He showed up uninvited. Many people here, simple people who know no better, owed him money. Sometimes he would kick puppies or kittens for no reason. I think his name was Imam, or Abdul or something like that. He was targeted when he tried to run away. All us simple local people are very glad he's gone. You'll tell that to Mr. Bush, right?"
The Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity so that his comments could not come back to haunt him, said the raid was conducted on specific information that Al-Qaeda was using the compound as a base to launch attacks across the border. "It was an Al-Qaeda camp and a training center," the official said. "That was why they had the barracks and the parade ground and the firing range. We never noticed them before, of course. These miscreants, they're very clever at hiding that sort of thing. The local people never catch on. They think they're just another farm or a miniature golf course or something."
Sultan said terrorists, in an effort to blend in with the local people, had stored a large cache of ammunition in the compound which caught fire after the air strike. Explosions were heard an hour after the raid. "Lots of people keep arms, ammunition, explosives, and sometimes nerve gas in their homes," the local official explained. "No one really noticed anything out of the ordinary, because according to our quaint local customs those are used to celebrate weddings, engagements, and public holidays. I am sure the residents of Crawford, Texas, have similar customs."
Kabul has frequently said Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters were using Pakistani border areas to launch attacks inside Afghanistan. Pakistan has just as frequently denied they are. President Hamid Karzai, when he visited Islamabad last month, handed over a list of around 40 Taliban rebels said to be in Pakistan. By coincidence, this raid netted 40 dead terrorists.
Bush told reporters in Kabul after talks with Karzai that the cross-border attacks were harming US troops, some 20,000 of whom are deployed in Afghanistan -- mainly along the border with Pakistan since they are not needed along any other border, to include Iran's. "I will bring up the cross-border infiltrations with President Musharraf," Bush told reporters, an ominous frown crossing his face. "These infiltrations are causing harm to friends, allies and cause harm to US troops. And that will be a topic of conversation. Loud conversation on my end." |
Posted by: ed 2006-03-01 |
