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| India-Pakistan |
| 200,000 civilians flee fighting in north Pakistan |
| 2008-09-06 |
| Intense fighting in the Bajaur tribal district in north Pakistan has forced more than 200,000 people to flee their villages, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) official has said. "There is a real war shaking the Bajaur region at the moment," said Pascal Cuttat, the head of the ICRC Pakistan delegation, with government forces "facing heavy opposition." Pakistan's forces have launched a number of major military offensives in recent weeks against militants in the Bajaur district, which is thought to be an Al-Qaeda stronghold. "In the last few weeks, we have a dramatic intensification of the armed conflict which has its flare-ups and this is the most difficult one," Cuttat said during a press briefing in Geneva. At least 200,000 people have fled their homes in the semi-autonomous Bajaur district near the Afghanistan border in the past three weeks, according to Cuttat. "About 80 percent of this displaced population was composed of women and children, and a few elderly," he said, while adding that the fugitives left with "literally nothing." However, the majority of men opted to remain in their homes to protect their belongings and not leave their land during the harvest season, Cuttat said. A large number of civilians travelled south to Marden and Peshawar, while others have headed north to the Lower Dir district. Approximately, 14,000 travelled over the border to Afghanistan, fearing the fighting will drag on for a long time, Cuttat said. The organisation, which fears a spread in diseases such a cholera, has provided drinking water to 50,000 people, as well as health facilities, tents and medicine. "These displaced people urgently need vital items," Cuttat said. Pakistani authorities declared a ceasefire during Ramadan, which began at the start of September. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #3 I'm sure there would be quite a bit more interest in giving aid and comfort to the displaced in Pakistan if it weren't such a recurring demand, and if there were sufficient guarantees that the aid would get to those that needed it. The world remembers what happened to 2/3 of the aid sent to Kashmir after the last major earthquake. Most Americans don't have a very high opinion of Pakistan to begin with, and their behavior throughout the world isn't necessarily something that inspires confidence in the country. It's a shame, but it's not terribly unexpected. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-09-06 13:58 |
| #2 Things appear to be really heating up in this region. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-09-06 13:25 |
| #1 There is a real war shaking the Bajaur region at the moment Yes, Yes. But we are facing much more pressing issues here at home such as: Did Sarah have an affair and is it true that Mccain is the father of Bristol's baby? Enquiring liberal elite minds want to know. |
| Posted by: Betty Grating2215 2008-09-06 03:44 |