PAF pounds Taliban hideouts in northwest Waziristan ahead of ground operation

October 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Hours after Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced that a military offensive in South Waziristan was 'imminent' following the audacious terror attack on the Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pounded several areas of the Taliban stronghold killing at least 31 suspected terrorists. "Jet fighters bombed various Taliban hideouts in Mamoond district of Bajaur," The Nation quoted local government official Manasib Khan, as saying.

September 28th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that Islamabad is yet to decide whether it should launch a full-scale military operation in Waziristan to clear Taliban militants from the tribal areas. He, however, said that Pakistan would take necessary action to flush out the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), "the front face of al Qaeda." "Let's not forget, it's not only the TTP which is operating there.

September 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least 34 suspected militants have died in clashes in Pakistan's South and North Waziristan while the Taliban claim to have killed 45 security personnel, media reports said Tuesday. Gunship helicopters pounded militant hideouts in South Waziristan, killing at least 26 suspected militants while injuring several others, Dawn reported Tuesday.

September 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reportedly killed 45 security personnel in Waziristan, while 34 extremists have been killed across the region in the last 24 hours. According to a television report, helicopter gunships pounded military hideouts in South Waziristan killing at least 26 Taliban fighters besides injuring many others.

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 23rd, 2009 RAWALPINDI - The Pakistan Army has killed at least 27 Taliban fighters in various districts of the Malakand division in the last 24 hours. According to an ISPR statement, fighter jets pounded Taliban hideouts in South Waziristan killing six close aides of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud.

July 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States may ask Pakistan to initiate a full-fledged military operation in South Waziristan targeting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Baitullah Mehsud during the US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke's visit to the country. Holbrooke, who arrived here on Tuesday on a three-day visit, may demand more commitment from Pakistan in South Waziristan, diplomatic sources said.

July 4th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The military operation in northwest Pakistan is not against any tribal group but targets the Taliban led by Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said, stressing that the government has not signed any peace deal with the militants. He added that there is a need for cooperation between the federal and provincial governments to eliminate the menace of terrorism completely.

July 1st, 2009 RAWALPINDI - The Taliban has slaughtered 18 of their own injured men in the Biha valley, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has claimed. According to a daily update of the ISPR, the Taliban killed the injured associates as they were unable to move while the Army continued to advance further in their stronghold.

June 26th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least six militants, including a Taliban commander, were killed in two separate clashes in northwest Pakistan, Geo TV said Friday. The report said the security forces bombed two Taliban hideouts Thursday in the Chapri Feroz Khel and Atman Khel areas, killing at least six militants including a local Taliban commander.

June 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - In yet another drone strike in less than a week in South Waziristan, at least five people were killed and several others injured when two US Predator aircrafts fired missiles at a suspected Taliban hideout in the Wana region on Thursday. According to the sources, the drones targeted the hideouts of Taliban commander Mullah Nazir in Shah Alam and Raghzai area near Wana, firing five missiles.

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.

June 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Government's decision to launch an operation in Waziristan to catch Baitullah Mehsud could provide the Taliban the fillip to regroup in Malakand, warned former interior minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao. "Complete success in Malakand would demoralised Taliban ahead of fresh operation in Waziristan.

June 7th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan's political and defence analyst Ejaz Haider has predicted that the Pakistan Army would soon launch a military operation in Waziristan, the "centre of gravity" for the Taliban. The Daily Times quoted Haider as saying that the military operation is inevitable, as it is essential to neutralize the Taliban's power in the tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan.

May 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least eight people were killed and several injured Tuesday when a suspected US drone fired missiles at militant hideouts in Pakistan's South Waziristan that borders Afghanistan, media reports said. Official sources were quoted as saying that militant hideouts were targeted at the Sarakhora area of South Waziristan and eight bodies had been recovered from the debris.