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| India-Pakistan |
| Taliban declares unilateral ceasefire in Bajaur |
| 2009-02-24 |
| Taliban announces a unilateral cease-fire in Pakistan's tribal Bajaur Agency where the Pakistani military has killed hundreds of its militants. Taliban's commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad announced the cease-fire, in a radio broadcast on Monday. "We have decided to observe a cease-fire," he said. "I direct all of my fighters to stop armed actions against the government. We will take strict action against anyone who violates the order." "We made this announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in the interest of Pakistan and our region," Faqir said, emphasizing that "Pakistan is our country and the Pakistan army is our army. However, he warned that if US drone strikes inside Pakistan's tribal belt continued, Taliban would 'avenge them by attacking Western troops inside Afghanistan'. The announcement comes a week after a deal was signed between Taliban insurgents and Pakistani officials to end an insurgency in the neighboring Swat valley in return for the imposition of Taliban-inspired laws. Unlike in Swat, the insurgents in Bajur had been losing ground in recent months and the Pakistani army has several times claimed to be close to victory. Meanwhile, the Pakistan army said it had ceased operations against Taliban militants in the northwestern valley of Swat, and a pro-Taliban cleric asked for troops to be shifted to 'safer places' to give peace a chance. However, Military Spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said that the government reserves the option of using force if no positive development is witnessed in Swat's security situation, a Press TV correspondent reported. The developments come after pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad spearheaded a deal with provincial officials in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The peace agreement binds the government to implement Taliban-style judicial system in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. The Taliban militants have set up a parallel administration with courts, taxes, patrols and checkpoints in the restive Swat valley and the troubled northwestern region. Bajaur is considered a crucial hub for the Taliban insurgents due to its access routes to neighboring Afghanistan and the rest of Pakistan. The Bajaur Agency and restive Swat Valley has been the scene of some of the worst fighting between Pakistani forces and Taliban-linked militants in recent months. Pakistan is under increasing international pressure to eliminate militant sanctuaries. The tribal regions along the shared border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have become a safe haven for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants after a US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. |
| Posted by:Fred |