30 Militants Killed in Pakistani Assault

AP on Yahoo ^ | 3/10/06 | Munir Ahmad - ap

[NormsRevenge]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani soldiers backed by helicopter gunships targeted a suspected militant hideout near the Afghan border, killing about 30 militants in a volatile tribal region that has seen repeated clashes in the past week, a military spokesman said Saturday.

The spokesman, Gen. Shaulat Sultan, said the attack was launched late Friday near Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan. Sultan would not reveal the identity or nationality of the slain men, but told The Associated Press the attack was launched using "authentic intelligence, and according to our information about 30 miscreants, who included foreigners, were killed."

An intelligence official in the region said the targeted compound belonged to a pro-Taliban cleric, Maulvi Sadiq Noor, although it was not clear whether he was there at the time. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Noor and other pro-Taliban tribesmen have been targeted since earlier this week when their armed men captured government buildings following a military attack on an al-Qaida hideout near Miran Shah. Over 100 suspects and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting.

Days later, authorities imposed a curfew in Miran Shah after regaining control of government buildings from militants, who are believed to have retreated to nearby mountains.

Sultan said the raid late Friday blew up a cache of weapons.

Pakistan is a key ally of the United States and has asked tribal elders to evict foreign militants and their supporters from their areas or prepare for military action.

The recent clashes in North Waziristan were the worst in Pakistan's tribal regions since 2004 when scores of al-Qaida militants, troops and local fighters died during fighting in the neighboring region of South Waziristan.

Officials say members of Afghanistan's toppled Taliban regime and al-Qaida militants continue to hide in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions near the Afghan border.

The recent unrest has compelled thousands of residents to flee to safer areas, but on Friday, some shops reopened and several families began returning home.

Farid Ullah, 34, who had fled to the nearby town of Mir Ali with his wife and five children, told The Associated Press that he had returned to Miran Shah after hearing that fighting had ended.

"We pray for peace, and we ask the government to avoid the use of force and to try to resolve all issues through peaceful means," he said as his family walked to the town.

Sher Nawaz, 38, a tribesman, said he had also returned after living with his relatives in a nearby village for three days.

Pakistan has deployed 80,000 troops and mounted a series of military operations in tribal regions to flush out militants. Pro-Taliban tribesmen insist that most of the people killed in the army raids were innocent civilians, a charge the military denies.

[NormsRevenge]

Soldiers of Pakistan army display arms and ammunition claimed to be recovered from militants in Pakistan's tribal region of north Waziristan, Friday, Mar 10, 2006 in Peshawar, Pakistan. Government officials with the help of tribal elders tried to pacify pro-Taliban tribesmen to ensure peace after more than 100 militants were estimated killed in recent days, an official said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zubair)

[highlander_UW]

"We pray for peace, and we ask the government to avoid the use of force and to try to resolve all issues through peaceful means," he said as his family walked to the town.

Says the people from the village aiding the foreign terrorists. The ability of muslims to say the most outlandish lies and irrational statements while maintaining a straight face simply amazes me.

[kinghorse]

Looks like a first class fireworks stand.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Pakistan is a key ally of the United States and has asked tribal elders to evict foreign militants and their supporters from their areas or prepare for military action.

An offer they cant refuse?

[Straight Vermonter]

Did you ever notice that the US attacks always kill "villagers" while the Pakistanis manage to actually get the "militants"?

[zarf]

Did you ever notice that the US attacks always kill "villagers" while the Pakistanis manage to actually get the "militants"?

Nice catch.

[Dog]

Couple this assault with the report of a US plane overhead in recent days....wonder who was in that compound. Ping me if they have an update.

[George - the Other]

"The ability of muslims to say the most outlandish lies and irrational statements while maintaining a straight face simply amazes me."

Same is true of leftists.

[csvset]

Miscreants ! The MSM would never use that word.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Look-see pidgin for our benefit.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

More Activity in Pakistan

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Pashtuns form the largest tribal society in the Islamic world. They view themselves as the natural leaders of Afghanistan, and despise peoples like the Hazara as a sort of underclass. Their relations with one another are dominated by a tribal code called pashtunwali, which values above all honour, hospitality, loyalty, bravery, revenge, and fierce individualism. This code has some pretty inexplicable facets - it is perfectly acceptable under pashtunwali, for example, to change sides in the middle of a battle for a bribe. You don’t have to understand it, but if you are doing business here you have to deal with it.

Pashtuns are hardly monolithic either. One is not simply a Pashtun, one is a Durrani or a Ghilzai; and one is not simply a Ghilzai or a Durrani, one is a Popolzai or a Barakzai or an Alikozai or an Ishaqzai Durrani Pashtun, or a member of one of dozens of other tribes. It doesn’t end there; families come next. And it is a vast understatement to call the interrelationships complex. Don’t try building a road through a Barakzai area using Alikozai labour, unless the Barakzai of that area have just concluded an agreement with the Alikozai families. And be prepared for it all to go pear-shaped in a heartbeat, for reasons you will never fully understand.

As the Pashtuns say: I against my brother - I and my cousin against the world.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BBC report of likely same incident , bit more detail, on what was found....:

Pakistani clash 'leaves 25 dead'

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Last Updated: Saturday, 11 March 2006, 13:56 GMT

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Pakistani clash 'leaves 25 dead'

Government troops retook control of Miranshah after a fierce battle

At least 25 people have been killed in an operation outside the Pakistani city of Miranshah near the border with Afghanistan, the military reports.

Army spokesman Gen Shaukat Sultan said those killed were militants but there has been no independent confirmation.

Last week the area, in the tribal region of North Waziristan, saw deadly clashes between government forces and suspected pro-Taleban militias.

Reports say as many as 140 people were killed in that fighting.

Gen Sultan said the latest security operation was carried out on receiving intelligence that pro-Taleban militants were storing arms and explosives inside a residential compound to launch a big offensive.

He said helicopter gunships were called in to assist the ground forces in what he described as a highly coordinated attack to destroy the militants' hideout.

Gen Sultan said between 25 and 30 militants were killed in the rocket and mortar attack, and most of their arms and ammunition destroyed.

According to him several of those killed were foreigners but he did not give their nationalities.

The military spokesman said apparently a huge quantity of arms and explosives were stored in the compound.

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Even after the initial attack, secondary explosions had continued inside the building for several hours.

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The latest fighting between the tribal militants and security forces started about a week ago after hundreds of pro-Taleban fighters tried to take control of the two main towns in North Waziristan by attacking the main headquarters of the paramilitary forces in the area.

Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao told the National Assembly in Islamabad on Saturday that more than 120 pro-government tribal elders had been killed by these militants since the beginning of the year, who were trying to seize control of North Waziristan.