Major anti-Taliban offensive launched in Afghanistan: Report

October 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The terrorist attack on the Pakistan Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Saturday that left 20 people dead may accelerate plans for a full-scale military offensive against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in South Waziristan. Army's main target is likely to be the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which operates in South Waziristan, the Wall Street Journal reports.

August 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Army has said that it would require months to prepare for a ground offensive against the Taliban in their South Waziristan stronghold on the Afghan border. Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, Commander of the 1 Strike Corps in Mangla in Pakistan Kashmir, said this while reacting to comments made by visiting US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.

July 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A report in the US based Long War Journal has revealed that most of the Swat Taliban's top commanders, including Mullah Fazlullah aka Radio Mullah, have 'escaped the Pakistani government's operation.' The journal cited a self proclaimed Taliban spokesman, as saying that Fazlullah and other top commanders are safe and reports about him being grievously wounded are not true. The Pakistan Army which launched a massive operation to root out the Taliban and other extremist outfits from Swat and Malakand Divisions is still struggling to get hold of the region even after three months of military combat with the insurgents.

July 27th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least 31 militants were killed and 28 others, including a Taliban commander, were arrested in separate operations in northwestern Pakistan, according to a media report Monday. According to the Pakistan Army's Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), 11 militants were killed and 28 others, including the wanted commander identified as Kabir, were arrested during a search operation in Swat Valley in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Geo TV reported.

July 26th, 2009 LONDON - Saturday's suicide attack on government buildings in Afghanistan's southeastern city of Khost has raised fears in Pakistan about more such strikes and blood shed by the Taliban in the near future. With elections in Afghanistan less than a month away, the increased extremist activities has raised the pressure bar on Pakistan to help ensure a peaceful election.

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 5th, 2009 KABUL - A terrorist who allegedly recruited Afghan children to serve as suicide bombers has been taken into custody, US officials said Sunday. The arrest was made south of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

July 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Russia has agreed to allow American troops and weapons to fly over its airspace on the way to Afghanistan, the New York Times reported Saturday. The breakthrough was to be announced when US President Barack Obama visits in Moscow on Monday and Tuesday.

July 3rd, 2009 MIRANSHAH - Pakistan has sealed its South Waziristan border with Afghanistan and imposed a curfew there to prevent Afghan militants from infiltrating into its territory in the wake of fresh offensives by US troops on the Taliban on the other side of the border. The Pakistan Army has already deployed additional troops at the border on the directives of the federal government, the Online news agency said Friday.

July 2nd, 2009 Marines say 1 killed in new Afghanistan offensiveCAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The Marine Corps says one Marine has been killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan during a major offensive against the Taliban.

July 2nd, 2009 Pakistan moves troops to Afghan borderISLAMABAD — Pakistan's army has deployed troops to a stretch of the Afghan border to stop Taliban militants fleeing a major U.S. offensive in southern Afghanistan, a spokesman said Thursday.

June 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Army has reportedly claimed back some of the major strongholds of the Taliban, as it continued to pound the hideouts of the insurgents in Swat and Malakand. Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's Advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik said that the security forces have destroyed the Taliban's camps in several areas.

May 10th, 2009 Petraeus: Taliban threaten existence of PakistanWASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Central Command says Taliban militants are a "true threat" to the existence of Pakistan.

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 28th, 2009 DAGGAR - A major military operation was launched against Taliban militants in Buner District on Tuesday. According to the Dawn, the operation was launched when militants refused to heed the government's warnings and had been kidnapping the young boys for recruitment into the Taliban's ranks.