Pakistan Prepares New Offensive Against Taliban Commander
By VOA News
16 June 2009
Pakistan's military says it is preparing for a new military offensive against Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.
In a military statement released Tuesday, the army confirmed that, as officials announced Sunday, troops are planning an operation in the Taliban stronghold South Waziristan, near the Afghan border.
Military officials have not confirmed if U.S. and NATO forces on the Afghan side of the border are planning to work with Pakistani forces to prevent militants from fleeing to Afghanistan.
Local reports from South Waziristan say some residents have fled their homes in anticipation of violence. An estimated 2.5 million people already have fled fighting in Pakistan's northwest since the military began battling Taliban fighters in the greater Swat valley more than a month ago.
In continuing operations in the Malakand region where Swat is located, the military said Tuesday its forces killed 13 militants and arrested three others.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
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