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Securing South Waziristan could take a year: army
Thursday, 21 Jan, 2010
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Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas APP (File Photo)
Pakistan
Eight militants killed in Mohmand Agency
Eight militants killed in Mohmand Agency
ISLAMABAD: Securing and stabilising the Pakistani Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan in the northwest tribal belt will take between six months and a year, the chief military spokesman said Thursday.
Islamabad sent about 30,000 troops backed by fighter jets and helicopter gunships into battle in the lawless region bordering Afghanistan in October, and says they are making progress and militants are fleeing.
Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told reporters it would take between six months to a year to completely stabilise South Waziristan, which was needed before security forces opened up any new fronts.
His comments came as visiting US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he planned to ask Pakistani leaders about plans to broaden their campaign to North Waziristan, which borders South Waziristan.
Abbas dismissed criticism that Pakistan had been slow to move against the Haqqani network said the CIA had failed to provide actionable intelligence.
His comments clearly indicate Pakistan will not be pressured in the near-term to expand its fight beyond militants waging war against the Pakistani state. Whether it can be convinced in the long-term is still an open question.
''We are not talking years,'' Abbas told reporters traveling with Gates. ''Six months to a year'' would be needed before Pakistan could stabilize existing gains and expand any operations, he said.
Pakistan launched a number of assaults on northwest Taliban strongholds last year and claim to have cleared Swat valley of the military threat.
But attacks blamed on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan show no sign of abating, with massive suicide blasts and other attacks increasingly targeting civilians and government and military installations.
Washington, meanwhile, is anxious to see Islamabad also target the Afghan Taliban within its borders and Al-Qaeda-linked militants using the tribal region to plot and launch attacks into Afghanistan.
Thursday, 21 Jan, 2010
font-size small font-size largefont-sizeprint email share
Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas APP (File Photo)
Pakistan
Eight militants killed in Mohmand Agency
Eight militants killed in Mohmand Agency
ISLAMABAD: Securing and stabilising the Pakistani Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan in the northwest tribal belt will take between six months and a year, the chief military spokesman said Thursday.
Islamabad sent about 30,000 troops backed by fighter jets and helicopter gunships into battle in the lawless region bordering Afghanistan in October, and says they are making progress and militants are fleeing.
Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told reporters it would take between six months to a year to completely stabilise South Waziristan, which was needed before security forces opened up any new fronts.
His comments came as visiting US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he planned to ask Pakistani leaders about plans to broaden their campaign to North Waziristan, which borders South Waziristan.
Abbas dismissed criticism that Pakistan had been slow to move against the Haqqani network said the CIA had failed to provide actionable intelligence.
His comments clearly indicate Pakistan will not be pressured in the near-term to expand its fight beyond militants waging war against the Pakistani state. Whether it can be convinced in the long-term is still an open question.
''We are not talking years,'' Abbas told reporters traveling with Gates. ''Six months to a year'' would be needed before Pakistan could stabilize existing gains and expand any operations, he said.
Pakistan launched a number of assaults on northwest Taliban strongholds last year and claim to have cleared Swat valley of the military threat.
But attacks blamed on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan show no sign of abating, with massive suicide blasts and other attacks increasingly targeting civilians and government and military installations.
Washington, meanwhile, is anxious to see Islamabad also target the Afghan Taliban within its borders and Al-Qaeda-linked militants using the tribal region to plot and launch attacks into Afghanistan.
