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Afghans, NATO Launch 'New Push Against Haqqanis'
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan security forces and their NATO allies have launched a new push against the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network along the troubled Pakistani border, senior defense officials said Oct. 18.
The United States recently accused the Haqqanis of orchestrating a 19-hour siege of the U.S. embassy in Kabul, a September truck bombing on a NATO outpost that wounded 77 Americans and a June attack on Kabul's InterContinental hotel.
U.S. commanders say the network, a faction of the Afghan Taliban, is their most potent enemy in eastern Afghanistan and is increasingly capable of launching high-profile attacks in Kabul.
Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said operation "Knife Edge" was launched two days ago, while a senior defense ministry official said it was "largely against the Haqqani network."
In September, Washington dramatically escalated pressure on Pakistan to crack down on the Haqqani network, with the then military chief Adm. Mike Mullen accusing Pakistani intelligence of involvement in the embassy siege.
The accusations caused damaging diplomatic rifts as the West seeks to end the 10-year war in Afghanistan.
The Afghan ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation was tied to the recent spats between Washington and Islamabad but gave no details about its scale.
A NATO spokesman confirmed only that "enhanced official operations" were ongoing in the eastern region that borders Pakistan but offered no further details for security reasons.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a weaponry exhibition in Kabul, Wardak said the operation would "deliver a crashing blow to the enemy's capabilities to conduct operations, especially terrorist operations during the winter."
"This operation is launched along the border because the enemy lately operates along the border on both sides. Sometimes on this side and sometimes on the other side," said the Afghan chief of army staff, Sher Mohammad Karimi.
On Oct. 17, the Pentagon said cross-border attacks emanating from Pakistan against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan have increased since U.S. troops killed Osama bin Laden near Islamabad last May.
U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province told the New York Times that rocket fire had dramatically increased from Pakistani territory.
There were at least 102 "close-border" attacks against three U.S. outposts in Paktika since May, compared to 13 during the same period last year, it said.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have for months traded accusations of responsibility for deadly attacks across both sides of the border.
Afghanistan is building up its national security forces, including a 193,000-strong army, trained and equipped mostly by the United States, which has around 100,000 troops in the country fighting the Taliban-led insurgency.
Afghans, NATO Launch 'New Push Against Haqqanis' - Defense News
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan security forces and their NATO allies have launched a new push against the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network along the troubled Pakistani border, senior defense officials said Oct. 18.
The United States recently accused the Haqqanis of orchestrating a 19-hour siege of the U.S. embassy in Kabul, a September truck bombing on a NATO outpost that wounded 77 Americans and a June attack on Kabul's InterContinental hotel.
U.S. commanders say the network, a faction of the Afghan Taliban, is their most potent enemy in eastern Afghanistan and is increasingly capable of launching high-profile attacks in Kabul.
Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said operation "Knife Edge" was launched two days ago, while a senior defense ministry official said it was "largely against the Haqqani network."
In September, Washington dramatically escalated pressure on Pakistan to crack down on the Haqqani network, with the then military chief Adm. Mike Mullen accusing Pakistani intelligence of involvement in the embassy siege.
The accusations caused damaging diplomatic rifts as the West seeks to end the 10-year war in Afghanistan.
The Afghan ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation was tied to the recent spats between Washington and Islamabad but gave no details about its scale.
A NATO spokesman confirmed only that "enhanced official operations" were ongoing in the eastern region that borders Pakistan but offered no further details for security reasons.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a weaponry exhibition in Kabul, Wardak said the operation would "deliver a crashing blow to the enemy's capabilities to conduct operations, especially terrorist operations during the winter."
"This operation is launched along the border because the enemy lately operates along the border on both sides. Sometimes on this side and sometimes on the other side," said the Afghan chief of army staff, Sher Mohammad Karimi.
On Oct. 17, the Pentagon said cross-border attacks emanating from Pakistan against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan have increased since U.S. troops killed Osama bin Laden near Islamabad last May.
U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province told the New York Times that rocket fire had dramatically increased from Pakistani territory.
There were at least 102 "close-border" attacks against three U.S. outposts in Paktika since May, compared to 13 during the same period last year, it said.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have for months traded accusations of responsibility for deadly attacks across both sides of the border.
Afghanistan is building up its national security forces, including a 193,000-strong army, trained and equipped mostly by the United States, which has around 100,000 troops in the country fighting the Taliban-led insurgency.
Afghans, NATO Launch 'New Push Against Haqqanis' - Defense News
