Posted on 10/18/2009 2:53:28 PM PDT by jazusamo
Conflicting reports emerge a day after thousands of soldiers launched an offensive against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in South Waziristan. 'We have not been weakened,' a Taliban spokesman says.
Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan - On the second day of Pakistan's major offensive to uproot the Taliban from tribal areas along the Afghan border, the military claimed to have killed 60 militants, while the Taliban countered that it had fended off the troops' initial surge.
Wildly differing interpretations of progress being made on both sides are expected to continue as the military pushes forward with its most crucial ground operation so far in its war against Islamist militants. Pakistani army officials said Sunday that 60 militants and five soldiers were killed during the first 24 hours of the offensive, in which thousands of troops have been moved into a large section of South Waziristan considered a stronghold for militants loyal to Taliban leader Hakimullah Mahsud and his predecessor, Baitullah Mahsud, as well as Al Qaeda fighters. Baitullah Mahsud was killed in a U.S. drone strike Aug. 5.
The military also said it had destroyed six Taliban antiaircraft gun positions and found locations that Taliban militants fled, leaving behind their firearms and ammunition. Airstrikes from Pakistani fighter jets Sunday pounded suspected Taliban hide-outs in the villages of Ladha and Makeen, military officials said.
The Taliban painted a very different picture of the initial fighting, saying its fighters succeeded in pushing back Pakistani troops and inflicting heavy casualties.
"We have not been weakened," Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq said. "Our morale is high and we will fight it out."
Neither side's claims can be verified, since the Pakistani government is denying access to the region.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
We should loan a couple PUFFs to the Pakis
AC-130 Gunship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpyFMEKQyrk&feature=related
Absolutely! They’d be counting the dead in hundreds instead of tens and the Taliban would be hard pressed in saying they beat the Pakis back.
Reminds me of Monty Python’s black knight at the bridge.
“Ol right, we’ll call it a draw”.
If there are satellite shots of this I doubt we’ll be seeing any and it looks like the Pakis are not letting in embeds. Hope they’re more successful with this than they’ve been in the past.
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