US missile salvo kills six in North Waziristan

AFP, The Daily Times, Friday, November 12, 2010

* Several unmanned US aircraft target a group of terrorists in Gulli Khel village

* Taliban fighteres were returning on foot from an insurgent bastion in Afghanistan

MIRANSHAH:

A salvo of US missiles targeted militants in the Tribal Areas on Thursday, killing six terrorists returning from an insurgent bastion in Afghanistan, security officials said.

Six missiles slammed into the group in North Waziristan. The missiles targeted the group about 12 kilometres from North Waziristan’s main town of Miranshah, in an area that borders Khost in eastern Afghanistan, a hotbed of insurgents fighting US-led troops. “Several unmanned US aircraft fired six missiles targeting militants in Gulli Khel village near the Ghulam Khan district of North Waziristan,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

He said the militants had been returning on foot from Afghanistan, although a local intelligence source in Miranshah said the US missiles targeted a compound of militants from the Haqqani network. Thursday’s strike was the second this week, after a similar operation killed at least nine suspected terrorists near Miranshah on Sunday. Around 220 people have been killed in more than 40 strikes since September 3 straining relations with Islamabad already tense over reported US criticism of Pakistan’s failure so far to launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan.

The covert US drone campaign in Pakistan dramatically increased in September as intelligence claims emerged of a Mumbai-style terror plot to launch commando attacks in European cities. The campaign is also seen as integral to US-led efforts to turn around a nine-year Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. Afghan and US officials allege that militants with rear bases in Pakistan enjoy at least some measure of protection from the Pakistani intelligence services – charges that Islamabad denies. During a recent visit to India, President Barack Obama said Islamabad was making progress on tackling what he called the “cancer” of extremism but it was not happening quickly enough. afp

Forces kill six Taliban in Orakzai

APP, The Daily Times, Friday, November 12, 2010
    
PESHAWAR:

Dozens of Pakistani Taliban fighters (referred to by the Daily Times as terrorists) armed with assault rifles attacked a security forces’ patrol near Afghan border in Orakzai Agency sparking a gunbattle that left six insurgents dead, security sources said. One soldier was killed in the gunfight, a security official said.

The battle took place in Guavaak area in Lower Orakzai tribal region near the Afghan border. The terrorists opened indiscriminate fire at the patrol, which prompted retaliation by the security personnel. Guavaak borders the Orakzai Agency, where Taliban insurgents and al Qaeda terrorists often ambush security forces. app

2 Nato trailers set on fire

APP, The Daily Times, Friday, November 12, 2010

MASTUNG:

Unidentified gunmen set two NATO trailers on fire in Mastung on Thursday. According to local administration, the unidentified men stopped the two trailers near Lakpass and set them on fire and fled from the scene. Local administration has started a search for the assailants. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. app