[Maktab al-Khadamat] Pakistani aircraft pound Taliban in South Waziristan -
Muskan
The Pakistani Air force continues to pound Taliban positions in South Waziristan as ground forces prepare for the ground assault against Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.
Since Sunday, more than 30 Taliban fighters and civilians have been reported killed during air and artillery strikes in Baitullah's tribal areas. Most of today's strikes were in response to Taliban military assaults on bases in both North and South Waziristan.
The Taliban used mortars, rockets, heavy machine guns, and assault rifles, "and even an anti-aircraft gun," Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. The Pakistani security forces did not report any casualties during the Taliban assaults on the unidentified bases.
The Army and Air Force responded today by striking in six villages in South Waziristan. Eleven Taliban fighters were reported to have been killed during airstrikes in the village of Kaniguram. A compound run by a local Taliban leader named Malik Ameer was the target of the attack.
In the Ramzak region along with border between North and South Waziristan, two Taliban fighters, three women, and three children were killed when fighter-bombers struck a compound. Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters used the compound run by Jalal Afghani as a safe house.
Yesterday, the Air Force launched strikes in the Makeen and Wergeen regions in South Waziristan. Seven Taliban fighters were killed in Makeen and five more were killed in Wergeen. Makeen is Baitullah's main base of operations, and has been targeted by both Pakistani F-16s and US unmanned Predator strike aircraft this past week.
Tahir Yuldashev, the leader of the Taliban and al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, is thought to have been wounded in an attack last week that coincided with a meeting between Baitullah and senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders.
Pakistani artillery is also reported to have hit a compound in Wana run by South Waziristan Taliban warlord Mullah Nazir. The attack reportedly occurred while the military was working to secure a portion of the Wana-Jandola road, the main artery into South Waziristan that has been under Taliban control for three years. No casualties were reported.
The military and the government have signaled that the Waziristan offensive will focus on Baitullah's Taliban faction. There is no indication that Nazir or North Waziristan warlords Hafiz Gul Bahadar and Siraj Haqqani will be be targeted.
Pakistani aircraft pound Taliban in South Waziristan - The Long War Journal
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Posted By Muskan to Maktab al-Khadamat at 6/22/2009 04:04:00 PM