Backed by helicopter gunships, the Pakistani military launched a new operation in a strategic tribal area that juts into Afghanistan and has become an important militant sanctuary, officials said Tuesday.
The operation in Kurram follows reports that one of the most feared militant groups fighting in Afghanistan, the Haqqani network, had reached a truce with local militants to use the area as transit point to launch attacks against NATO forces across the border.
But the military is more likely focused on Pakistani Taliban militants who have declared war against the state and have staged attacks against Pakistani security forces. Many analysts believe Pakistan Launches operation is hesitant to target the Haqqani network – as demanded by the US – because of historical ties to the group.
"A military operation in Kurram Agency has been launched to clear the area of terrorists involved in all kinds of terrorist activities, including kidnapping and killing of locals, suicide attacks and blocking the road connecting Lower with upper Kurram,'' said Pakistani army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas.
The military has used helicopters to clear three areas of Kurram, but has not received much resistance or suffered any casualties, said Javed Ullah, one of the top government officials in Kurram.
"Today is the third day of this operation, which was launched on Sunday,'' said Ullah.
At least 400 families in central Kurram, where the operation is focused, have fled the area and registered with a government-run camp in lower Kurram, said Ullah. He estimated that thousands of families may have left the region, but many of them opted to stay with relatives rather than go to the camp.
The road through Kurram that the military is trying to clear is the only one connecting the remote tribal area to the main city in Pakistan's northwest, Peshawar. It has been blocked by rival Sunni Muslim militant groups.
The operation in Kurram follows reports that one of the most feared militant groups fighting in Afghanistan, the Haqqani network, had reached a truce with local militants to use the area as transit point to launch attacks against NATO forces across the border.
"A military operation in Kurram Agency has been launched to clear the area of terrorists involved in all kinds of terrorist activities, including kidnapping and killing of locals, suicide attacks and blocking the road connecting Lower with upper Kurram,'' said Pakistani army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas.
The military has used helicopters to clear three areas of Kurram, but has not received much resistance or suffered any casualties, said Javed Ullah, one of the top government officials in Kurram.
"Today is the third day of this operation, which was launched on Sunday,'' said Ullah.
At least 400 families in central Kurram, where the operation is focused, have fled the area and registered with a government-run camp in lower Kurram, said Ullah. He estimated that thousands of families may have left the region, but many of them opted to stay with relatives rather than go to the camp.
The road through Kurram that the military is trying to clear is the only one connecting the remote tribal area to the main city in Pakistan's northwest, Peshawar. It has been blocked by rival Sunni Muslim militant groups.
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