Pakistan May Launch Army Operation Against Taliban This Month

Islamabad, March 8, IRNA – Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that a military operation against banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in tribal areas may be launched in March, local media reported on Friday. In an interview to media Khawaja Asif said the army will not show reluctance in bombarding militants’ hideouts in tribal areas. Pakistan could launch a full-scale military operation against Pakistani Taliban insurgents in tribal areas near the Afghan border as early as this month, the defense minister said, warning insurgents against violating a ceasefire. Khawaja Asif told that the government would not hesitate to bomb militant hideouts or send forces into the tribal areas if the Pakistani Taliban did not abide by the ceasefire announced last weekend. ˈIf there is a ceasefire, it has to be complete. Without that, we just can t afford to have talks with the Taliban.ˈ Pakistan fears that the end of the US combat mission in neighbouring Afghanistan this year could energise a resilient insurgency straddling their shared frontier. ˈIf in the post-withdrawal period, the Afghan Taliban become stronger and carve out an area of influence in the south and east of Afghanistan, which is next to our border - that s a scenario we should even avoid thinking of,ˈ Asif said./end