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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan ends US use of base for drone attacks |
| 2011-06-30 |
| Pakistan has stopped the United States from using an air base in the southwest of the country to launch drone strikes against militant groups, the defense minister was quoted as saying, as ties remain strained between the two countries. Pakistan has long publicly opposed the missile attacks as a violation of its sovereignty, but has in private given support including intelligence to help target members of al-Qaida and the Taliban in the northwest region along the Afghan border. The Financial Times quoted Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar as saying that Pakistan had ended U.S. drone flights out of Shamsi base in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, long reported to have been used for the covert war against militants. "No U.S. flights are taking place from Shamsi any longer. If there have to be flights from the base, it will only be Pakistani flights," Mukhtar told the newspaper. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 According to the always interesting Nightwatch, Shamsi air base was closed in April 2011. It makes a great sound-bite, but this is mere wankerous political theater from our close, personal friends in the Land of the Pure. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-06-30 14:42 |