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| India-Pakistan | |
| Suspected US missile strikes in Pakistan kill 8 | |
| 2009-06-18 | |
ISLAMABAD -- Suspected U.S. missile strikes pounded the hide-outs of a Taliban commander in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least eight people, government officials said.
Two Pakistani intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to media, said a training center of Taliban commander Malang Wazir between the two villages was the target and that nine people were killed. Two other intelligence officials, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said four missiles were fired at two sites. They put the casualties at eight dead and about two dozen wounded. Ali Khan Wazir, a shopkeeper, said Wednesday's strikes come as the Pakistani military has started pounding militant targets in the area with airstrikes. The highly anticipated operation is seen as a potential turning point in the yearslong and sometimes halfhearted fight against militancy in Pakistan. It could also help curb Taliban attacks on Western forces in Afghanistan. But while Washington has been pushing for the offensive, on the heels of a similar operation in the Swat Valley, fighting in the lawless tribal region will likely be the toughest yet for Pakistan's military, testing both its combat capability and the government's will to see it through. The Swat offensive has triggered a wave of retaliatory attacks by militants across Pakistan that have been blamed on Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, whose base is in South Waziristan. More than 100 people have died since late May in suicide bombings on targets including police and security buildings, mosques and a hotel catering to foreigners. The attacks have fueled anti-Taliban sentiment in Pakistan that in turn has emboldened the politically weak government of President Asif Ali Zardari. | |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #4 A US missile attack killed at least nine militants at a South Waziristan training camp today ahead of a planned ground offensive by the Pakistani army on the mountainous tribal region. Two or three pilotless American aircraft fired at least four missiles at a camp near the village of Raghzai, witnesses said. A building was destroyed and four local militants and five foreigners, including Arabs and Turkmenistan nationals, are thought to have been killed. Yesterday’s target was inside the territory of Mullah Nazir, a militant leader who has close links to Mullah Omar, the Afghan Taleban leader, and recently formed a loose alliance with Mr Mehsud. US and British officials say Mullah Nazir has launched regular attacks on US and Nato forces over the border in Afghanistan, but Pakistani officials do not consider him a threat to Pakistan. Local officials say the camp in Raghzai was run by one of Mullah Nazir’s lieutenants — a man named Wali Mohammed, who is also known as Malang Wazir. They said it was not immediately clear if Wali was among the dead and locals were still searching the ruins of the camp for more casualties. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-06-18 16:50 |
| #3 3dc, The report says 4 missiles, two targets; does not say if a time lag beteen missiles nor whether the second target was a Tali-transport rushing to the scene. One can hope...it would be a change... |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-06-18 16:39 |
| #2 He said Taliban vehicles were seen rushing to the scenes. Sounds like these situations are always crying for a follow up strike on the car swarm. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-06-18 12:43 |
| #1 Suspected U.S. missile strikes pounded the hide out |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-06-18 11:39 |