Posted on 01/04/2008 3:58:36 PM PST by jdm
Tank, 4 Jan. (AKI/DAWN) - Warplanes bombed the suspected locations of militants in the lawless South Waziristan tribal area on Thursday after an intelligence report said that the militant Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud was hiding somewhere in the area.
Local people said that two planes dropped six bombs and attacked various areas in Tiarza, Emer Raghzai and Enzer in Sara Rogha subdivision at about 2pm local time.
Sources said that a bomb exploded near a seminary in Emer Raghzai.
The government has blamed Mehsud for the gun-and-bomb attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on 27 December in which late opposition leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and 23 other people were killed.
Through a spokesperson, Mehsud has denied the government claim.
On the Tank-Wana road, armed men in the area meanwhile looted four vehicles carrying food for security forces in the Berwand area.
A former member of the national assembly, Maulana Mirajuddin, has described the situation in tribal areas controlled by the Mehsud tribe as serious.
He said the militants had linked the release of four paramilitary soldiers who had been kidnapped on Tuesday, with the release of their six comrades.
Mirajuddin, who has been negotiating with the militants to secure the release of the kidnapped soldiers, said that the Taliban had reiterated their condition that their six associates must be freed.
He said the situation was deteriorating as the security forces and the militants were preparing for a confrontation.
It’s a little frustrating that South Waziristan is not just cratered out, since everyone knows that’s where the Taliban and Al Qaeda hide out. Just give them a 24 hour notice and then blast it with a tactical nuke. Let them attempt to hide in more accessible areas.
Good.
An Fyi...
Well, at least it looks good . . .
Thanks for the ping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.