Posted on 04/13/2007 3:47:20 PM PDT by blam
Pakistan says it's reining in tribal areas
By Carlotta Gall and Ismail Khan
Published: April 13, 2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: After some of the heaviest fighting in two years in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan's generals are claiming initial success in their latest efforts to combat foreign militants and regain some control in one of the most lawless regions.
President Pervez Musharraf acknowledged Thursday for the first time that the Pakistani military had been involved in the recent heavy fighting in the tribal area of South Waziristan and said that nearly 300 foreign militants had been killed.
The commander of Pakistani troops in the tribal areas, Major General Gul Muhammad, put the figure much lower, at 150 to 200, in a briefing for journalists in Wana, the main town of South Waziristan, on Wednesday. By some estimates only dozens have been killed. Foreign journalists are not permitted to visit the tribal areas, except a few selected ones under strictly controlled visits, and there has been no independent verification of casualty figures.
The military does appear to have gained more control in the immediate region of Wana, and Muhammad said the progress made in clearing the area of foreign militants - mainly Uzbeks and other Central Asians who have been allied with Al Qaeda - would serve as a model to use in the rest of the region, including the equally lawless North Waziristan next door.
Pakistan has been under heavy pressure from the United States and NATO countries to contain the spreading lawlessness of its tribal areas, which Pakistani, Afghan and foreign militants have been using to wage an expanding insurgency across the border in Afghanistan. South Waziristan had become a Taliban state in all but name after a peace deal with militants in 2005 gave them freedom to operate while
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
The commander of Pakistani troops in the tribal areas, Major General Gul Muhammad, put the figure much lower, at 150 to 200, in a briefing for journalists in Wana, the main town of South Waziristan, on Wednesday. By some estimates only dozens have been killed. Foreign journalists are not permitted to visit the tribal areas, except a few selected ones under strictly controlled visits, and there has been no independent verification of casualty figures.
As I mentioned to you early....be very careful before believing any casualty figures coming out of the Pak border regions......Those 300 KIA...just went to "maybe" a few dozen....as the truth seeps out...
Blam this all a lie.
You and I seem to have the same thoughts....Pakistan is not to be trusted.
I just post'em.
http://www.glumbert.com/media/gunmarket
Take a minute and watch this video. It is well done by a guy who has gone to the tribal areas of Pakistan. He shows a fascinating side of the culture there, where not even the BBC have been given access. It is a fairly new video, about the gun manufacture, sales, and shooting there.
I understand for the most part Musharraf has done a fairly decent job....in respect to what his forces can actually do (and be trusted with doing).
The reality is (as you well know) these border regions are autonomous from the Pak Gov't.....yet for pride (and $$ reasons) the Pak Gov't simply won't admit such.
Regardless....it is long past time for us to have dragged the dead corpses of UBL/Zawahiri and several other HVTs out of these region......
A larger price needs to start being paid by those Pashtuns who have indirectly supported these SOBs....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1809266/posts
Thanks.
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