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India-Pakistan
Pak denies joint military operations with US at Afghan borders
2003-06-23
Pakistan today denied any joint operation with the US troops along its borders with Afghanistan to capture al Qaeda and Taliban militants and contradicted reports that tribesmen from the border area resisted Pakistan Army's attempts to enter the Pak-Afghan borders. "There is no joint operation by the US and Pakistani troops along the Pak-Afghan border - no US troops are in our side," Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told a weekly briefing here.
Technically, that is true. The US troops are on the Afghan side of the border. Think hammer and anvil.
"Who, us? Act against our Islamic brothers? Certainly not! And our relations with the local muscle are sexual excellent!"
He said the Pakistan Army had entered the tribal areas of Khyber and Kurram Agencies with the objective to "open up" Mohamand Agency. "It is purely our operation," and denied reports that there was heavy resistance from the local tribesman. Khan claimed, the Pakistani troops were welcomed in the area. He, however, admitted that there was some resistance in "one small pocket", "but negotiations are underway to bring them into the main stream".
"Or else"
He said, it would be better to describe the Pakistani operation in Mohmand Agency as an exercise and not an "operation".
A "live fire" exercise, perhaps?
With tanks. Elk season starts soon...
He said the Army entered the area with the consent of the elders of the area and the people were taken into confidence.
"Taken into confidence or taken into custody, take your pick."

Also, this from the BBC on the "exercise":
The authorities in a semi-autonomous tribal area near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan have seized 22 anti-aircraft missiles from a village.
Oooh! Duck season's opening!
The assistant political agent in the Kuram Agency tribal area, Kifayatullah Khan, told reporters that the seizures were made following a tip-off from local villagers. He said the missiles had been stored by an Afghan national, who came from the eastern Afghan province of Paktia, and is now being sought by police.
Must have been getting ready for "duck season".
Posted by:Steve

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