Taliban Attack Pakistan Air Force Base

A suicide bomber at the gates of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (an Air Force base) detonated his payload on Friday, killing 8 and wounding 17. Kamra is northwest of the capital, Islamabad, on the way to Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province.

AP has video:



The Pakistani Taliban also set off a bomb in Peshawar, a major northern city.

Aljazeera English reports on the negative effect of militants' violence on Pakistan's retail sector, as most people prefer to stay home than to risk bombings.



The USG Open Source Center looks at Pakistani editorials on the attack in Islamabad on a Brigadier General:

Pakistan: Urdu Press Roundup Denounces Security Arrangements in Islamabad-- OSC Summary
Friday, October 23, 2009
Document Type: OSC Summary

Maintaining that the terrorists targeted the military officer in reaction to the operation against the terrorists in South Waziristan; the editorial states: "It isquite clear that it will not be difficult for the militants, who can target theGeneral Headquarters and military van in Islamabad, to target the Army in their own stronghold Waziristan. A police officer believes that the attack on the military van on 22 October can be the reaction to the ongoing operation in Waziristan.It appears that the assailants had fully monitored the areas beforehand."

Jinnah Editorial Points Finger at Blackwater

Discussing the free movement of the US security agency in Islamabad, the editorial says:"US vehicles were checked many times and weapons were found in it. It is probable that Blackwater personnel are involved in gunfire on the sensitive agency's van because this organization is famous for target killing. No matter whether it functions under a cover name, its objective is to create turmoileverywhere."

Jang Article by Farooq Baloch Deplores Insufficient Security Arrangements

Terming the incident proof of security agencies' failure to hunt down terrorists in the federal capital; the article comments: "Long queues of vans on blockadesand shanty towns in the city can prove prelude to some great devastation.However, no attention has since been paid on these problems. This led to a great tragedy in G-11 sector of Islamabad on 22 October, where a brigadier and a soldier were shot dead by the terrorists."

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