Backed by tanks and fighter jets, Pakistan Army launched the much-awaited major ground offensive on Friday to flush out Taliban from their stronghold of Waziristan tribal region and immediately ran into heavyresistance. Troops were locked in fierce clashes with Taliban, who were reported using heavy weapons, to hold back the army advance, officials said.
As fighter jets bombed Taliban bases, an estimated 30,000-40,000 troops advanced from three directions towards areas inhabited by the Mehsud tribe, the main stronghold of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Hakimullah Mehsud. Before the tanks and troops rolled out, the government clamped indefinite curfew in the entire Waziristan region to ensure that the movement by soldiers was not interfered with.
The Pakistan Army's move comes after the country's top political leadership gave the go-ahead as it endorsed plans to root out militants blamed for a wave of deadly attacks. Reports said the soldiers ran into resistance soon after the operation began. Militants armed with heavy weapons attacked troops at Sharwangi, one of the first Mehsud-dominated areas they encountered. The offensive in Waziristan follows months of airstrikes by fighters and helicopter gunships intended to soften the Army's advance into the terrorists haven.
Though there is no exact count, reports say about 10,000 militants belonging to the Taliban or Al Qaida are present in South Waziristan. Besides these, there are another 1,000-1,500 Uzbek fighters. Pakistani forces are reported to be heading for Makeen and Ladha, the two main towns in Waziristan dominated by supporters of slain Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.
Two soldiers were killed and four injured when a military convoy was targeted with a roadside bomb in North Waziristan, TV news channels reported. Another soldier was killed and three more were injured in an attack on a security forces vehicle near Jandola in South Waziristan, Geo News channel reported. There was no official word on casualties.
Troops also advanced on other key Taliban strongholds like Spinkai Ragzai, Sararogha and Tiarza from Jandola and Wana in South Waziristan and Razmak in North Waziristan. The military mobilisation began after leaders of Pakistan's major political parties yesterday gave their backing for efforts to root out extremism and militancy and restore the government's writ in areas controlled by militants.
The leaders, who attended a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, were briefed on the security situation by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. "The leaders present at the meeting held detailed discussions after the army chief gave a briefing. The leaders endorsed all steps being taken for the security of the country," Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, also president of the opposition PML-N, told reporters at Lahore airport before leaving on a private visit to London.
Gilani convened the meeting of political leaders after a series of audacious attacks by the Taliban that targeted offices of police and security agencies, including the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, the UN food agency's compound in Islamabad and public places like markets. Scores have been killed in the attacks.
As the army began moving in, hundreds of people fled to safer places like Dera Ismail Khan and Tank in the North West Frontier Province. The army plans to move 120,000 people from the tribal belt to relief camps till the operation in Waziristan is completed.
The UN has said it expects the number of refugees to rise significantly once the operation gets underway. Over the past few days, the army has deployed additional troops close to areas inhabited by the Mehsud tribe and along the Afghanistan border. The military also stepped up air strikes by combat jets and artillery shelling to soften up Taliban defences.
Dozens of people, including civilians, have died in the bombardment.
Sources were quoted by TV news channels as saying that the army expected to complete the operation in two months. Observers believe the army will have to act quickly to ensure the success of the offensive as the onset of winter could hamper operations. Authorities have further tightened security across the country to avert attacks by militants aimed at pressuring the government to put off the offensive in the tribal areas.
The home ministry of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous and politically crucial province, has issued a warning that terrorists could target government installations, police offices, provincial assemblies and airports. The warning, issued to government officials, also said terrorists could strike airports or hijack planes. It said militants could also abduct army and police personnel or steal their cars. In an apparently unrelated development, a security personnel and nine militants were killed in a clash in the Mohmand tribal region today. The clash occurred after militants attacked a check post.
Reports said seven foreigners were among the militants killed by security forces.
