Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistan Says Militant Deaths Mount in Offensive

By VOA News
27 October 2009

Pakistan's army says it has killed 42 militants in the latest stage of its offensive against Taliban militants in the lawless tribal area of South Waziristan.

Meanwhile, in the capital, gunmen fired shots Tuesday at a car carrying a senior Pakistani army officer. The officer and his mother, who was traveling with him, escaped unhurt.

It was the second targeted shooting against a top army official in less than a week. A brigadier attacked in Islamabad last Thursday was killed.

Taliban assaults have surged recently in apparent retaliation for the military operation in South Waziristan.

With Tuesday's death toll, the military says more than 230 militants and at least 31 troops have been killed during the operation. The numbers cannot be independently verified because journalists are not in the battle zone.

About 30,000 troops are battling some 10,000 Taliban fighters in South Waziristan.

The Pakistani Taliban has used the region, near the Afghan border, to coordinate bombings and other attacks across Pakistan.

Troops have met heavy resistance since pushing deeper into the Taliban-controlled territory.

The army declared a victory Saturday when it seized control of Kotkai, the hometown of Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.