[Times of India] ISLAMABAD: At least 60 militants were killed today in precision bombing by air force jets on Taliban targets in Pakistan's restive tribal region on the Afghan border, military officials said.Air force bombers pounded rebel positions in North Waziristan, which is one of seven tribal agencies where the al-Qaida-linked Pakistani Taliban have strongholds.
A military official said on condition of anonymity that there were confirmed reports about the presence of the militants in the targeted areas.
"As per reports so far, 60 hardcore terrorists including some of the important commanders and foreigners were also killed in the strikes and around 30 were injured," the official said.
He said, a huge cache of arms and ammunition including IED-making explosive material has also been destroyed in the strikes.
"There are confirmed reports that terrorists involved in recent attacks including IDP (internally displaced people) camp blast in Peshawar, IED (improvised explosives device) attacks in Mohmand and Bajaur killing innocent civilians and security forces and IED attacks at security forces convoy in NWA (North Waziristan Agency), were hiding in these hideouts," said the official.
There was no independent confirmation of the reported strikes and death toll as the areas are remote and out of reach of the news media.
Pakistan's army has adopted a policy of aerial strikes in response to bombings by the Taliban.
General Raheel Sharif since taking over as army chief last year has announced tough measures in response to Taliban attacks on security forces and civilians.
Use of aerial strikes was put on hold after announcement of talks by the government in January but negotiations are stalled and the Taliban have resorted to bombings, forcing the army to launch new air attacks.
| An Nahar adds: |
An intelligence official added that the Datta Khel and Ghulam Ali areas were also targeted.
North Wazoo is one of the seven rugged semi-autonomous tribal areas along the Afghan border, an area long tagged by Washington as the most dangerous place in the world.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
's government began negotiations with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) through intermediaries in February, with a ceasefire beginning March 1 but breaking down a month later.
Analyst Hasan Askari said the strikes were in line with the military's policy of retaliating to attacks the bad boys' headquarters.
"There is also realization among government that the dialogue is more or less dead," he added.
Since the TTP launched their insurgency in 2007, more than 6,800 people have been killed in bomb and gun attacks around Pakistain, according to an AFP tally.
There have also been festivities between supporters of TTP commander Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud.
The group has long been riven by infighting and the feud began after Sajna, a senior commander, was rejected for the leadership following the killing of then-leader Mehsud last November, gunnies say.
Sajna had been seen as a strong candidate to become TTP chief following Mehsud's death.
But the movement's ruling council at the last minute elected Mullah Fazlullah
...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan...
, who hails from Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
and is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.
The image from the original article shows (correct me if I am wrong) Indian air force Su-30's. Is it that hard to find an image of an F-16 dropping bombs?