But since those areas are Militant strongholds, not only independent journalists but also Pakistani Army does not have a free access to the area.
in Khyber Agency? What are you talking about?
not only they have presence there, the tribes have also been very active in cooperating with the security forces and in fact their contribution to our war has been invaluable. Even tribes that have rivalries with eachother have united and formed lashkars to ensure nobody disturbs the uneasy-peace ---given that the local police forces are poorly equipped and the political system there is weak and has been fairly ineffective.
my advice to you --> check your facts first
Hence would be impossible to ascertain if the ones killed were militants of civilians.. Also the news release from PA also seems to be leaving that option open with the claim of suspected militants
that is correct.....b/c they don't have "******/taleban" tattoo'd on they foreheads right? That's what makes this a challenging fight.
but when they are shot at and they return fire and whack a few of the enemy and recover arms ammunition and explosive devices -- i think it's
FAIRLY safe to say that they are militants (fair game)
that isn't to say that from our side there hasn't also been collateral damage and believe me this pains all of us.....but our method of fighting is the effective way. Not only we're fighting them, we're deradicalizing many other 'potentials'
we have the tribes on our side for the most part - they are loyal and they also have sacrificed a lot (and paid for it in blood). They themselvs are fed up of these scums disturbing what was once a very peaceful region. I hail from tribal areas myself, i know much of those areas like back of my hand. I know the tribes, i know the 'tribal dynamics' -- these guys simply want peace and they are in need of the center establishing its writ there in a manner in which the local 'equilibrium' is not affected....these are conservative areas, but with peace-loving people
it's very easy for someone (especially indian) to blindly critisize when you yourselves are embroiled in God knows how many insurgencies and insurrections in your northeast (where also information can be difficult to ascertain and verify; and where there have also been "suspected militants" rounded up and/or even killed
in fact you of all people should be the most 'understanding' here!
(of course this is where the indians say "ohhhhh but sir, this is all your own making" and other such rhetorical, misconstrued banter like that)