'Pakistan Taliban Regrouping Outside Waziristan', Los Angeles Times, 26 November 2009
EXCERPT: "Since the Pakistani army launched a long-awaited offensive last month to destroy the Taliban in South Waziristan, many militants have fled to nearby districts and begun to establish new strongholds, a strategy that suggests they will regroup and remain a potent threat to the country's weak, U.S.-backed government. Pakistani Taliban militants have escaped primarily to Kurram and Orakzai, districts outside the battle zone but still within Pakistan's largely ungoverned tribal areas along the Afghan border, villagers there say. The military lacks a significant presence in much of these areas, making them an ideal environment for the Islamic militants to regroup. Newly arrived militants have terrorized Pashtun residents and replenished their coffers through kidnappings and robberies, villagers said during interviews in the Kurram and Orakzai districts. With AK-47s and rocket launchers slung over their shoulders, the militants have begun patrols through the new territory and have set up checkpoints."
Read the full story.
Related articles:
Pakistan kills 30 militants in tribal belt, AFP, 27 November 2009
Pakistani army kill 15 militants in tribal area operation, China View, 27 November 2009
Security forces capture training centre in Kurram, DAWN, 27 November 2009
Fighting intensifies in northwestern Taliban strongholds [blog], The Long War Journal, 27 November 2009
Related reports:
Tribal Regions Conflict Report: November 16 to November 22, 2009, Pak Institute for Peace Studies, 26 November 2009
Leading Pakistani Islamist organizing popular movement against South Waziristan operations, The Jamestown Foundation // Terrorism Monitor, 25 November 2009
Related posts:
Taliban escape Waziristan operation, 26 November 2009
Army expands operations, battles militants in northwest, 23 November 2009
