“The Bodies Of Dozens Of Soldiers, Many With Their Throats Slit”
MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan - Three days of fierce fighting between Islamic militants and security forces near the Afghan border has killed nearly 200 people, the army said Tuesday. The clashes have been some of the deadliest since Pakistan began supporting the U.S.-led war on terror in 2001.
The bodies of dozens of soldiers, many with their throats slit, have been recovered from deserted areas of North Waziristan, residents fleeing the clashes said. There were also reports of villagers killed in artillery and jet fighter strikes on militant targets.
The fighting in North Waziristan comes as Gen. Pervez Musharraf tries to secure another term as president, vowing to shore up Pakistan’s troubled effort against Islamic extremism.
But his troops are suffering mounting losses as they try to reassert authority in a swath of mountainous territory where warlords supportive of the Taliban and al-Qaida have seized control.
Battles in North Waziristan have killed 150 fighters and 45 soldiers since Saturday, an army statement said. About 12 to 15 troops are missing, it added. Another 50 militants and 20 soldiers had been wounded.
Security forces have rejected a cease-fire proposed by the militants and will “continue punitive action till complete peace is restored” in the area, it said.
Pakistan struck a controversial cease-fire deal with militants in North Waziristan last year. U.S. officials criticized the pact, claiming it gave a safe haven for al-Qaida and provided a rear base for Taliban guerrillas fighting NATO troops in Afghanistan.
In July, Pakistan’s army redeployed troops at key checkpoints in the region, sparking fresh hostilities.
A local intelligence official said the latest fighting started Saturday when a roadside bombing killed one paramilitary soldier and wounded 12 traveling in a truck.
When five vehicles of army troops went to the bomb site Sunday to retrieve the truck, about 300 militants ambushed them, killing 22 troops and wounding 11. Others were captured alive and could be still held by militants, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.
One resident of Isu Khel village said that three soldiers came to his home asking for protection but he refused, fearing he might be targeted by militants. The three soldiers later escaped in a military truck, said the villager, speaking after fleeing to the region’s main town, Miran Shah.
Other residents of Isu Khel and nearby Melagan village said they had spotted bodies of the slain soldiers abandoned in deserted areas and the side of the road linking Mir Ali with Miran Shah.
Many of the victims had their throats slit, they said.
A woman, who fled to Miran Shah, said that she saw eight bodies of army soldiers who had been shot dead. The bodies were covered in dust and one of them was badly mutilated, she said.
The villagers who spoke to The Associated Press requested their names not be printed as they feared reprisals.
The intelligence official said Monday that a dozen civilians had died when a shell struck their home in Mir Ali. It was unclear who fired the shell. State-run Pakistan Television on Monday reported eight civilian deaths in mortar fire but did not say where in North Waziristan it happened.
Arshad said the security forces avoid collateral damage but conceded that some houses had been targeted that were being used for attacks on security forces.
(AP)
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
I think Musharaff’s stupid Waziristan bargain is about over.
October 9th, 2007 at 6:00 amOne way or another, either the Pakistanis or us, the experiment
will be ended. The key diplomatic codewords were when Musharaff
said former PM Bhutto could return to a power sharing agreement
and when Bhutto said that if Pakistan couldn’t do the job, then
she would have no problem with letting the USA finish it.
And it is about time.
Sorry to go off topic, but is that MG in the picture an German MG-42?
October 9th, 2007 at 6:20 amRegarding the machine gun, I was thinking the same thing, maybe they just copied it. In which case, why would they copy a 70 year old weapon?
October 9th, 2007 at 6:52 amRegarding the copying the MG; One good reason is that that SOB is a damn good buzz saw that throws out more lead than anything made today that is man portable.
Regarding the atrocities in Waziristan; Looks to me that AQ’s days may be numbered in Pakistan as they wear out their welcome with the locals by mounting their standard campaign of terror and death upon the population. It will only be a matter of time before the tribal chiefs realize that they have invited Satan’s legions into their homes and will want some help to expell them.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:34 amI am guessing it is the German MG2. It is a reworked MG42 to fire the Nato 7.62 calibre bullet. Its a rock solid machine gun that fires up to 1200 rounds per minute. No need to reinvent the wheel here.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:38 amhttps://pat-dollard.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_question.gif
Maybe a barrel change might help them Oh! sorry , no barrels available. Slingshots anyone ?
October 9th, 2007 at 7:46 amThey call off the cease-fire, and now they want another one? AQ is getting the shit stomped out of them.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:06 amThat GPMG is a licensed MG3 made by Pakistan Ordnance Factories.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:20 amObviously, Musharaff hasn’t been studying AQ ambush tactics.
He’d do much better if he’s team up with us and send his military leadership to the SF and Delta for some better training.
The other thing he could do is waste the area. He has the gunships and air power to affect the battle on the ground.
He just doesn’t seem to have the nerve to pull it off. And his troops don’t have the motivation that we have to fight.
If it doesn’t change soon, Musharaff might want to call in the “calvary”. That would be the U.S. sports fans.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:36 amMaybe the throat-slittings will encourage the soldiers not to surrender so fast.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:17 pmYugoslavia has the M52 which is the exact replication of the MG42
“The villagers who spoke to The Associated Press”
I’m sure the “Associated Press” was a villager
October 9th, 2007 at 9:39 pm