Fresh militant attacks on schools dismiss Pak Army’s successful anti-Taliban offensive claim

October 12th, 2009 Taliban claim responsibility for army HQ attackPESHAWAR, Pakistan — The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility Monday for the weekend siege on army headquarters and vowed to activate militant cells across the country for more attacks as an explosion in a market killed at least 29 people. The blast in Shangla district — the fourth terrorist attack in just over a week — may have been a car bombing, police official Tahir Khan said.

October 11th, 2009 NEW YORK - A former top Pakistani police official has said Saturday's ghastly terror strike on the Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was a result of the failure of the security forces to counter the extremists in South Waziristan effectively. Arbab Hidayatullah, an expert of national security, said the GHQ attack had occurred because the Pakistan military had given a free hand to the extremists.

September 16th, 2009 Pakistan makes another arrest in Swat ValleyISLAMABAD — Pakistan killed 10 insurgents and arrested a militant commander accused of beheading troops in the northwestern Swat Valley, notching up more successes in an offensive that has been welcomed at home and in the U.S., an army spokesman said Thursday. Sher Muhammad Qasab was captured this week at an undisclosed location in the valley, said Col.

September 10th, 2009 Pakistan: Swat Taliban spokesman, 4 others heldISLAMABAD — Pakistani soldiers arrested the spokesman for the Taliban in the Swat Valley and four other commanders, the military announced Friday, striking its first direct blow against the leadership of the insurgency in the one-time tourist resort. The army did not say when the men were arrested but described their detention as the result of a "successful operation" in Swat.

September 7th, 2009 PESHAWAR - At least 15 more Taliban extremists were killed in Pakistan military's counter insurgency operation and a drone attack in the Khyber and North Waziristan areas. While 10 militants were killed in the Tirah valley during anti-militancy offensive, a US drone targeted an alleged militant hideout and a madrassa in Machikhel village in North Waziristan killing five persons on the spot besides injuring six others, The Daily Times reports "The strike targetted a madrassa and an adjoining house in Machikhel village in North Waziristan.

August 29th, 2009 KABUL - Taliban fighters say they have successfully sabotaged the Afghanistan presidential voting process without sending in a single suicide bomber. A Globe and Mail report says that their claim that the mere threat of violence suppressed turnout enough to cast doubt on the credibility of the vote, which is being increasingly undermined by allegations of fraud.

August 9th, 2009 SWAT - The Swat education department has said that the Taliban has destroyed 238 out of 1,576 schools affecting more than 56,250 students in the province. The department has demanded a grant of 2,203 million rupees from the provincial government, for the reconstruction of more than 238 school destroyed by the Taliban, The Dawn reports.

July 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) has described the Pakistan Army's offensive against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud South Waziristan as "hogwash." Lateef Afridi said the government is merely carrying out a mock offensive in the region to pacify the United States and "earn dollars." "These are mere mock operations in order to convince the NATO as well as the United States of America that Pakistan is very serious against the extremists," claimed Afridi. Pakistani leaders were infact protecting the militants, the Weekly Standard magazine quoted him, as saying.

July 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister's advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik has said that the major Taliban leadership has been wiped out from Swat. Talking to media persons here, Malik claimed that the military offensive being carried out in the North West Frontier Province's (NWFP) Swat and Malakand Divisions have been successful with top commanders of the Taliban killed.

July 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The first units of an estimated 4,000 US Marines began what was described as a major offensive early Thursday against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the Washington Post reported on its website. Troops were moving by helicopter and heavy ground vehicles from their bases into Taliban-controlled districts in Helmand and neighbouring provinces, the newspaper and other US media reported.

June 14th, 2009 Pakistan tribal area sees renewed Taliban activityKHAR, Pakistan — Pakistani security forces used jets, helicopters and artillery to pound suspected Taliban hideouts in a tribal region where the army said it had vanquished militants earlier this year, government officials said Sunday. The clashes in Bajur underscore Pakistan's challenge in holding territory allegedly cleared of militants, a test likely to grow harder as the country considers staging more anti-Taliban offensives along the northwest region bordering Afghanistan.

May 28th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A relatively unheard of terror group, the 'Tehrik-i-Taliban Punjab' has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's Lahore suicide attack in which over 30 persons, including 12 security officials were killed. According to the Dawn, the claim was made in Turkish-language and was posted on Turkish militant websites through an organization called the Elif Media.

May 28th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb attack in Lahore Wednesday that killed at least 23 people, a US-based Islamic militant monitoring group has said. The SITE Intelligence Group said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban militants made the claim in a statement posted on Turkish jihadist websites, Geo TV reported Thursday.

May 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pakistan, while announcing an all out war against the Taliban in the Swat Valley, vowed to root out extremism completely from its soil, but questions are being raised over its willingness and ability to thwart the menace. According to a Washington Post report, there is wide scale skepticism about the government's motives and the army's will to fight against the extremists.

April 26th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Athar Abbas has said that the decision to initiate a military offensive against the Taliban rests with the political leadership of the country. Responding to allegations that the army lacks will and capaability to take on the might of the Taliban, General Abbas said that the army certainly has the will to thwart any further advancement of the insurgents.