Saturday, August 18, 2012

Pak preparing for military push in north Waziristan?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Preparations for a military push against militants in North Waziristan appeared to be underway, as a top US army commander held talks with Pakistani military officials on better cooperation along the border with Afghanistan. Residents of the lawless Waziristan tribal region said they had noticed "abnormal movement of military convoys in the area" and this had caused fears of another showdown between the army and tribal militants affiliated with al-Qaida , The Express Tribune reported. The top military leadership cancelled holidays for the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr for troops deployed in the region and directed them to stay alert, the report said. The preparations for a possible campaign against militants emerged as general James Mattis, commander of the US Central Command, held talks in Islamabad on Thursday with Pakistan army chief general Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani. Officials were quoted by the Tribune as saying that Mattis and Kayani would discuss how to eliminate their "common enemy" — Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mehsud . A statement issued by the US embassy said the two commanders had discussed common security issues, including steps to improve cross-border cooperation. Surveillance craft hit in base attack ASaab-2000 airborne early warning aircraft of the Pakistan air force was damaged during the terrorist attack on Kamra airbase, defence minister Naveed Qamar has said. The nose of the aircraft was damaged terrorists stormed the airbase in Punjab province. 2 killed in fresh attack on Shias Two persons were killed and 19 others injured in a gun and bomb attack on a group of Shia students in the port city of Karachi on Friday, a day after 25 community members were pulled out of three buses and shot dead by masked gunmen in Pakistan's northwest.

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