- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Fair Dealings...
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/20/pakistan-fighting.html
Clash between tribesmen, militants kills up to 30 in Pakistan
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 | 11:24 AM ET
CBC News
Up to 30 people have died in two days of fighting between Pakistani tribesmen and foreign militants in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, an official said Tuesday.
The clash broke out Monday in the Pakistani village of Shin Warsak, about four kilometres west of Wana, the main town in the region of South Waziristan, according to Reuters news agency.
Foreign militants, many of them Uzbeks, fought with ethnic Pashtun tribesmen, who live on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistani border.
The Pakistani government has asked the tribesmen to try to maintain order along the border area and prevent the militants from staging raids in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, both sides engaged in a gun battle that left 18 dead.
"The number of casualties is rising and we have reports of 25 to 30 dead," Pakistani military spokesman Maj.-Gen. Waheed Arshad was quoted as saying by Reuters Tuesday.
An estimated 30 people are believed to be wounded.
Foreign militants sought shelter in Pakistan's tribal lands after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S. The militants include Uzbeks, Chechens and Arabs, according to Reuters.
Tribesmen 'fed up'
Relations between tribesmen and militants had been relatively peaceful until now, but Arshad told Reuters the tribesmen are "fed up" with the militants because they believe they are disrupting their daily lives and businesses.
Government security forces were reportedly not involved in the conflict.
BBC News reported Tuesday that more than 700 Pakistani troops have died while trying to maintain law and order in the tribal areas in recent years.
Canada has more than 2,000 troops in southern Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led force trying to bring peace and stability to the country.
NATO officials have said Pakistan needs to gain greater control over its tribal areas in a bid to halt militant attacks on NATO troops.
Article Ends, emphasis mine.
I've run across a serious amount of news items today, I hope nobody takes offence to my "clipping service" cluttering up Mike's bandwidth.
I have to say I thought it'd be a frosty day in Hades before we'd actually see any of the border tribes engage any of the foreign fighters transiting their territory...If the report is true, then my hat's off to the tribesmen who have decided to take action and reclaim their territory, and we (that's the collective Afghan/ABCA/NATO We) should do just about everything that's in our powers to support them following this, let them know that their efforts are appreciated and will bring material and financial support.
I suspect any efforts to do so, however, will be met with resistance from Pakistan for "meddling" on their side of the line.
DF
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/20/pakistan-fighting.html
Clash between tribesmen, militants kills up to 30 in Pakistan
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 | 11:24 AM ET
CBC News
Up to 30 people have died in two days of fighting between Pakistani tribesmen and foreign militants in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, an official said Tuesday.
The clash broke out Monday in the Pakistani village of Shin Warsak, about four kilometres west of Wana, the main town in the region of South Waziristan, according to Reuters news agency.
Foreign militants, many of them Uzbeks, fought with ethnic Pashtun tribesmen, who live on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistani border.
The Pakistani government has asked the tribesmen to try to maintain order along the border area and prevent the militants from staging raids in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, both sides engaged in a gun battle that left 18 dead.
"The number of casualties is rising and we have reports of 25 to 30 dead," Pakistani military spokesman Maj.-Gen. Waheed Arshad was quoted as saying by Reuters Tuesday.
An estimated 30 people are believed to be wounded.
Foreign militants sought shelter in Pakistan's tribal lands after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S. The militants include Uzbeks, Chechens and Arabs, according to Reuters.
Tribesmen 'fed up'
Relations between tribesmen and militants had been relatively peaceful until now, but Arshad told Reuters the tribesmen are "fed up" with the militants because they believe they are disrupting their daily lives and businesses.
Government security forces were reportedly not involved in the conflict.
BBC News reported Tuesday that more than 700 Pakistani troops have died while trying to maintain law and order in the tribal areas in recent years.
Canada has more than 2,000 troops in southern Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led force trying to bring peace and stability to the country.
NATO officials have said Pakistan needs to gain greater control over its tribal areas in a bid to halt militant attacks on NATO troops.
Article Ends, emphasis mine.
I've run across a serious amount of news items today, I hope nobody takes offence to my "clipping service" cluttering up Mike's bandwidth.
I have to say I thought it'd be a frosty day in Hades before we'd actually see any of the border tribes engage any of the foreign fighters transiting their territory...If the report is true, then my hat's off to the tribesmen who have decided to take action and reclaim their territory, and we (that's the collective Afghan/ABCA/NATO We) should do just about everything that's in our powers to support them following this, let them know that their efforts are appreciated and will bring material and financial support.
I suspect any efforts to do so, however, will be met with resistance from Pakistan for "meddling" on their side of the line.
DF
