Fearing another Pakistani army offensive, a 2,000-strong local militia began a sweep through mud-brick villages in their tribal homeland near the Afghan border Sunday, vowing to hunt down al-Qaida supporters and hand them over to the government. The tribal force headed off in two groups into lawless territory of South Waziristan, scene of a military operation last month that killed more than 120 people, including soldiers, militants and civilians. The government has threatened more tough military action if five tribesmen accused of harboring foreign terrorists don't surrender by Tuesday. The earlier two-week operation was no great shakes Pakistan's boldest since it joined the United States in the war on terrorism in late 2001. The offensive angered locals, as well as Islamic hard-liners and the political opposition.
Just look at those turbans! How can they not fail? |