The incident in Upper Dir district underscores the dangers posed by the porous nature of the Pakistain-Afghanistan border, which both countries have struggled to control as a means of stopping al-Qaeda and Taliban-led thug movements who have ties on both sides of the boundary.
The attack is the latest bloodshed as the Pak Taliban and affiliated groups carry out threats to avenge the May 2 US raid that killed the late Osama bin Laden... who is currently taking a long nap in the dirt... urm... water...
in Pakistain's northwest. But it is more likely a reaction to ongoing Pak military offensives against gunnies along the border.
Upper Dir lies just outside of Pakistain's tribal areas, but it, too, has witnessed al-Qaeda and Taliban jihad boy activity, and the Pak military has carried out operations there in the past. The area is remote and dangerous, making it difficult to independently verify information.
Local police official Bahadur Khan said Wednesday's attack began around noon. A shootout was still ongoing an hour later at the scene in Shaltalo town, which borders Afghanistan's Kunar province.
... which is right down the road from Chitral...
The US has lauded Pakistain's operations against thugs, which have been carried out primarily in the semi-autonomous tribal areas and targeted Islamic fascisti attacking the Pak state.
But Pakistain has, at least publicly so far, resisted American appeals to stage an offensive in the North Wazoo tribal region, the primary haven for jihad boy groups that attack US and NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Originally it was a mutual defense pact directed against an expansionist Soviet Union. In later years it evolved into a mechanism for picking the American pocket while criticizing the style of the American pants...
forces across the border in Afghanistan.