Posted on 07/13/2008 4:17:26 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned Sunday the killing of 17 soldiers by Taliban militants in the country's restive northwest, saying they had been lured into a trap.
The soldiers were part of a convoy ambushed by rebels armed with rocket- propelled grenades and assault rifles as they headed to a fort outside the city of Hangu near the border with Afghanistan on Saturday.
"I strongly condemn the killing of Frontier Constabulary personnel and salute them for their courage and valour," Gilani told reporters during a brief visit to Peshawar to condole the death of the mother of a senior politician.
"The security men were cheated by the militants as the security personnel were on their way for negotiations for the release of hostages. It was a cowardly act," Gilani said.
Pakistan is battling a resurgence in Islamist violence after a brief lull brought about by the new government's negotiations with Taliban militants in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.
Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said the soldiers were in the area after militants kidnapped 19 government officials to press for the release of a deputy to Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud.
Malik said the deputy, named Rafiuddin, was arrested on Thursday along with four others near Hangu and police had seized weapons, explosives and poisonous injections from their vehicle.
"The government will never release Rafiuddin who is being investigated by a joint investigation team in Peshawar," Malik told reporters in Islamabad.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Mehsud needs to go Boom! in the night.
An ancient ploy in the Middle East. Pakistan might get annoyed enough to come to the light and join the war against the Terrorists. Probably not.
That is sure to stop them...
Omar Shariff’s younger brother?
pakistan is making me angry. They could have destroyed most of alqeda but they are using most of the money we give them to fill their pockets. Musharoff is a coward.
This feckless idiot should have thought about this before his ill-advised comments about not allowing U.S. troops to go after A.Q., the Taliban, and UBL, inside Paki territory.
Peshwar should have been laid waste long before 2001 ended.
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