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| India-Pakistan |
| Taliban claims attacks on Islamic university |
| 2009-10-21 |
| The Taliban has claimed responsibility for two suicide attacks at one of the world's biggest Islamic universities. The attacks at the International Islamic University in the Pakistani capital Islamabad killed five people and injured many more. Taliban commander Qari Hussein says all of Pakistan is now a war zone and has vowed to strike again as the Pakistani army continues its offensive into the Taliban's stronghold in South Waziristan. One bomber struck in a women's cafeteria at the university while the other climbed to the first floor of the Islamic Law department and blew himself up. Student Faheem Beyg says many of his classmates cannot understand why the terrorists would target an Islamic place of learning. "It was very much frightening," he said. "One blast happened, we saw towards the sky and it became dark, it became just like a yellowish colour and definitely, really, it was astonishing and it was frightening. "They are killing their brothers. We are their brothers, we are their children and they are killing us. We are here because we are here to study. They are inhuman I think, they are unbelievable what they are doing. What the hell are they doing?" Security forces have been on high alert. Many schools and colleges had been closed in Islamabad during the past two days because of specific intelligence information they may be targeted. But student Shokut Ahmed says he will not be frightened away from his studies. "Inshallah, we will keep studying," he said. "We are not afraid of them. We will fight with them by studying, by knowledge." The battle between the Taliban and the Government is intensifying. The Government admits its troops are making slow progress in the rugged terrain of South Waziristan. The operation could take up to eight weeks. Waris Sheikh is the father of a student injured in the latest attack. He wants the military to abandon its offensive in South Waziristan. "Surely it should be stopped, otherwise we will be killed for America and for other NATO countries," he said. "This is not opinion of the people to do this attack. This is the opinion of the Government." The Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, arrived at the scene of the latest blast but he received an angry reception from students who say the Government is failing to protect its citizens from terrorism. Mr Malik only stayed for a few minutes before he was forced to flee. Students threw dirt and bricks at his convoy as he left. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 ION PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > OP-ED: PAKISTAN UNDER SIEGE. Besides traditional attacks, MIlitants are also covertly disguising themselves as PAK ARMY-MIL Members in attack operations. PAKISTAN IN AL QAEDA-INSPIRED INSURGENCY CHALLENGE FROM SOUTH WAZIRISTAN TO SOUTH PUNJAB REGIONS. * SAME > PAKISTAN SUFFERS REVERSES IN OFFENSIVE AGZ MILITANTS [Should PAK Army take control of Govt = Islamabad?]. * SAME > PETER GOODSPEED: ALL OF PAKISTAN BECOMING/IS NOW A WARZONE [QARI HASSAIN - Taliban SubLdr + Suicide OPers Recruiter-Trainer]. TTP = PAKI TALIBAN COMMANDER HAIKIMULLAH MEHSUD > may be adopting a STRATEGY OF "SPREADING CHAOS" [ NATIONAL? "CHAOS" = HAIKIMULLAH IS THREATENING MILTERR ATTACKS AGZ GOVT SERVICES ALL ACROSS PAKISTAN]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-10-21 20:25 |
| #1 More! |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-10-21 02:52 |