Pak ‘reorganizes’ troops on Afghan border following fresh US-led Taliban onslaught

September 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani security forces killed 36 militants in the northwestern region near the Afghan border, officials said Sunday. Troops aided by gunship helicopters and artillery fire targeted two militant hideouts during the continuing offensive in the Khyber tribal district.

July 31st, 2009 KABUL - The Taliban has called for a boycott of the Afghan presidential and provincial elections scheduled Aug 20 and warned it would launch fresh attacks if its diktat is not heeded. In a statement to the media Friday, the rebels said people must boycott these elections as the polls are backed by the US.

July 28th, 2009 LONDON - Most of British nationals believe that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won, and that British troops should be pulled out immediately, a recent poll has found. According to ComRes survey conducted for The Independent, more than half of voters (52 per cent) want troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan straight away, with 43 per cent disagreeing.

July 11th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has sealed its border with Afghanistan and has reportedly deployed huge number of troops along the region bordering the Helmand province in the neighboring country, where the US-led allied forces have launched a massive surge against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The border area in Nushki and Chagai districts have been completely sealed to prevent any spill over of the militants, sources said.

July 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A suspected US missile strike on a Taliban bastion in north-western Pakistan killed at least eight militants Wednesday, an intelligence official said. Six missiles fired allegedly by US Predator drones at around 1.30 a.m.

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 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 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.

July 2nd, 2009 Pakistan upping border force along Helmand stretchISLAMABAD — Pakistan's army has deployed more 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.

July 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Army has deployed troops to a stretch of the Afghan border to stop Taliban militants fleeing a major US offensive in southern Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Thursday. Major General Athar Abbas told Geo TV that they had "mustered more troops from the other areas of the border" to deploy opposite the Helmand region, "It is sort of a reorganisation," he said, adding that the threat of militants crossing over had been "visualised".

June 24th, 2009 KABUL - Afghan troops killed 23 Taliban fighters in Uruzgan province, a senior military commander said Wednesday. "Acting upon intelligence report, Afghan troops backed by the US-led Coalition forces pounded Taliban militants in Chinartook area, killing 23 rebels including their commander Mullah Ismael Kuchi," commander of Afghan Corps in the region General Shir Mohammad Zazi told Xinhua.

June 3rd, 2009 KABUL - Afghan troops have killed 11 rebels in fighting with Taliban in the southern part of the country, an official said Wednesday. "The troops came in contact with the militants in Norwak area outside Zabul province's capital Qalat Tuesday night.

June 1st, 2009 KABUL - Six Taliban militants have been killed in fighting with the security forces in Afghanistan's northwestern Badghis province, officials said Monday. "In chasing Taliban insurgents, the troops of Afghan national army engaged them (militants) in Balamurghab district Sunday, killing six rebels and injuring eight others," military officer Jalandar Behnam said Monday.

May 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pakistan has asked the United States to tell India to pull back its troops from its eastern border before asking Islamabad to do so. Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said Obama should first ask India to pull back from the eastern border, and then ask Pakistan to shift focus towards the western Afghan border.

May 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban are using at least 2,000 people as human shields in North West Frontier Province's (NWFP) Buner District. According to the ISPR, the hostages are being held in Pir Baba in Buner district.