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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan hits Taliban, urges NATO to seal border |
| 2009-10-22 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistani helicopter gunships attacked Taliban bases near the Afghan border on Wednesday as the army urged NATO forces to seal the frontier to stem cross-border movement of militants. Pakistani forces launched an offensive to wrest control of the lawless South Waziristan region on Saturday after militants rocked the country with a string of bomb and suicide attacks in recent weeks, killing more than 150 people. Six people were killed in two suicide bomb attacks at the International Islamic University in the capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday, prompting authorities to order the closure of educational institutions across the country. Remote and rugged South Waziristan, with its rocky mountains and patchy forests cut through by dry creeks and ravines, is a global hub for militants. The offensive is being closely followed by the United States and other powers embroiled in Afghanistan. The government forces initially faced light resistance but fighting intensified as soldiers approached the militants' main sanctuaries in the mountains. Government forces attacked the militant strongholds of Makeen and Ladha with helicopter gunships and artillery on Wednesday, security officials said. Eight soldiers wounded in overnight fighting were evacuated to the nearby town of Dera Ismail Khan. Fighting for control of the lawless area is seen a major test of the government's ability to tackle increasingly brazen insurgents who have carried out daring attacks across Pakistan, including on the army headquarters. As government forces pressed ahead with the Waziristan offensive, the military called on the NATO troops in Afghanistan to seal the border "to prevent cross-border movement and flow of weapons." Pakistan Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Chairman General Tariq Majid made the call during talks with Britain's Chief of Defense Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup. Pakistani newspapers have in recent days reported that NATO forces had abandoned border posts opposite South Waziristan, raising the possibility of Afghan Taliban coming to help their Pakistani comrades, or of Pakistani Taliban fleeing. Majid called for "synchronization of effort on both sides and sharing of real-time intelligence with reference to the ongoing operations," an army statement issued late on Tuesday said. The army says 90 militants and 13 soldiers have been killed since the offensive was launched on Saturday but there was no independent confirmation of those tolls. About 28,000 soldiers are battling an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban, including about 1,000 tough Uzbek fighters and some Arab al-Qaeda members. More than 100,000 civilians have fled from South Waziristan, with about 32,000 of them leaving since Oct. 13, the United Nations said. Up to 200,000 people could flee, the army says. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 It's good to see that the army is hitting them hard enough that it's attracting forces from across the border. I'd say that's good news. Anytime the Taliban goes up against any kind of regular troops they get smashed. Things are going swimmingly. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-10-22 12:24 |
| #3 Pakistani helicopter gunships attacked Taliban bases near the Afghan border on Wednesday as the army urged NATO forces to seal the frontier to stem cross-border movement of militants. What goes around comes around. Gee, who's been asking the Paks for the last seven plus years to do the same? /rhet question. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-10-22 09:01 |
| #2 About 28,000 soldiers are battling an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban Say *what*? That's a rotten force ratio for an assault into ugly terrain. The Pakistani military supposedly has 600k active-duty, with another 500k reserves. Why the hell aren't they calling up reserves & concentrating more formations on this crap? They can secure their *own* goddamn border with that sort of theoretical manpower. NATO has its own hot war in the actual heartland of Afghanistan, and needs to concentrate its resources on securing the Helmand River and other population centers. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-10-22 08:06 |
| #1 ION TOPIX > PHILIPPINES > ESTRADA WANTS ALL-OUT WAR AGZ INSURGENTS IN PHILIPPINES. Any MilTerr, any Group, includ but not limited to MILF. SAME > NEW LEADERS READY TO TAKE OVER MILF STRUGGLE + PHILIPPINE REBELS WARN OF ALL-OUT ANARCHY/WAR IFF PEACE TALKS FAIL + REBELS ASK FOR US HELP IN PEACE TALKS WITH MANILA GOVT. IIUC, Estrada believes its the only way MANILA = PHILIPPINES can decisively end any and all of its insurgencies [Muslim, Commie, ethnic] quickly and move forward in national affairs. COMPARE WID WMF/ CHIN MIL FORUMS-BLOGS = Many CHIN Netters believe that, REGARDLESS OF WHERE CHINA FINDS ITSELF IN CONFLICT, CHINA should prepare to MILITARILY FIGHT SEVERAL REGIONAL WARS OR CONFLICTS AT SAME TIME [Taiwan, North-SOuth Korea, UIghurs, INDIA, JAPAN, RUSSIAN FAR EAST, CHINA SEAS ISLANDS.....@etc. getting the US-NATO out of CENTRAL-EAST ASIA], while CHINA is still strong and has the MANPOWER + NUCWEAPS TO DO IT, + while BULK OF [non-US] ENEMIES ARE STILL RELATIVELY WEAK VEE CHINA. TIME + TECHS + ONGOING NATION(S), REGIONAL MODERNIZATION, etc, in not on China's side??? YEAR 2020-AND-AFTERWARDS > SUPERPOWER-WANNABE CHINA may find it increasingly difficult to protect or assert its geopol interests-influence, espec given NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION TO THE THIRD WORLD, NON-ALIGNED NATIONS, + espec NUCLEAR ISLAMISM/MILITANCY(S)??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-10-22 00:34 |