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Pakistani Official: Waziristan Operations Close to Finished
Sep. 9, 2014 - 09:15PM | By AARON MEHTA
AA Pakistani soldiers patrol through a destroyed bazaar during a military operation against Taliban militants on July 9 in the main town of Miranshah in North Waziristan. (AAMIR QURESHI / AFP/Getty Images)Filed Under
WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States told an audience Tuesday that his country is about a month away from finishing its operations in North Waziristan.
“I am pleased to share that the operations against extremists and terrorists in North Waziristan have been a huge success,” Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani said. “We are absolutely confident that in the next four to five weeks we will be able to clear the entire area of all these elements, and this is something that enjoys the overwhelming support of the people of Pakistan.”
Jilani’s comments came during a celebration of Pakistan’s annual Armed Forces Day, held at that nation’s embassy in Washington, DC.
In June, Pakistan began a major military operation, dubbed Operation Zarb-e-Azb, in the North Waziristan region of its country. Located on the border with Afghanistan, North Waziristan has been a haven for insurgent activities.
Jilani went on to describe the Pakistani military as a force of good in the world, noting the role it has played in UN peacekeeping missions, anti-piracy activities and humanitarian operations. He also stressed the mutual benefits of international cooperation, particularly with the Pentagon.
“We greatly admire your support and assistance over the years,” Jilani told the crowd, which featured military representatives from multiple nations. “We all know that strong and robust bilateral defense cooperation underline enduring partnerships between nations.
“Pakistan’s cooperation with the United States over the decades fully captures this and has been a mainstay of mutual beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries.”
Speaking before Jilani, Brig Abdullah Dogar, the military attaché for the embassy, also praised his troops for their months of work, noting the military has limited the space insurgents have for “their nefarious deeds.”■
Email: amehta@defensenews.com.
I agree with our ambassador only for the two to three main towns.
For the rest, a slow war will continue for at least a year if not longer.