Army Takes Peochar
The Pakistani military claims to have taken the village of Peochar and to have cleared it of militants. It was the headquarters of Mulla Fazlullah, a top leader of the Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan.
The military also claimed to have taken most of the major city of Mingora, which had had 300,000 inhabitants or so before the military operation there, but which is now a ghost town. (See video below). These military claims cannot be confirmed by independent journalists because they are excluded from the war zone.
Despite the military's talk of having 'cleared' the Taliban from major centers, fierce fighting continued in Dir and neighboring areas. Meanwhile, Pakistan increased the bounty on the heads of the major insurgent leaders.
Some Pakistani observers believe that the Taliban turn to terrorism tactics could turn the public decisively against them.
Aljazeera English has video of the Pakistani army claiming complete conquest of Mingora.
Dawn reports that there are now 3 million internally displaced persons, victims of the Taliban and the large-scale military campaign against them in Malakand division.
End/ (Not Continued)
posted by Juan Cole @ 5/30/2009 01:05:00 AM
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3 Comments:
Thanks a lot, Dr. Cole, for following the campaign in Swat Valley.
Although I am paying attention to the conflict, there is a gaping hole in my understanding. What is the attraction of the Taleban? What exactly do they want? And why do their goals appeal to enough people to sustain their cause?
Although it is a little embarrassing to confess my ignorance about something so basic, I would wager that most westerners share it.
Please, consider an essay about the Taleban ideology and its appeal to Pashtuns, Pakistani, and Afghanis.
There is something desperately wrong in Pakistan, a war with no legitimate reporting as though there were no war, and only vague reports of millions of refugees that tell of fierce and likely fruitless or self-defeating destruction along with casualty counts that are more darkly absurd than those of Vietnam.
American wanted a war, and war there is or seems to be to no avail that makes the least sense to me.
Hellmut,
It is very simple. after Soviet Union left afghanistan. US left pakistan.
So Pakistani military and Benazir Bhutto created the Taliban. children of afghan refugee. At the sametime US allowing Pakistan to start a low intensity conflict in Indian Kashmir.
So Pakistani military helped taliban take over afghanistan provided fuel and weapons even man power. Kargil war happend. Nuclear bombs were tested. 911 happened. Pakistan continue to use the taliban and other jihadi groups. So of these people are upset that Pakistan is allowing US to bomb them in pakistan. Meanwhile
Pakistan was forced to withdraw some support from Kashmir. Earthquake helped in this cause.
Also India build roads, infrastruture and trained Afghan police, politicians. So all the pakistan tried in Afghanistan backfired. But Pakistan has 60 years of schizophrenia and spartan mentality bread thru their education system being taken over by Saudi Arabian money and ideology. US was in agreement to all the moves up until 911. because it was US policy to split India into little states.
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