Pakistan Security Brief - August 28, 2009

Pakistan Security Brief - August 28, 2009

A Taliban spokesman claimed credit for Thursday's suicide attack on a police post in Khyber agency on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border; security forces continued to conduct search and clear operations in Swat, reportedly killing two militants; al Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri released a statement urging Pakistanis to join in jihad against the Pakistani military.�

• On Friday a Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility on behalf of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for Thursday's suicide bomb attack on a police post in Torkham of Kyber Agency on the border with Afghanistan. Spokesman Azam Tariq said "This is our first response since the death of our chief Baitullah Mehsud" and that the TTP "will continue similar attacks in the future also." Another report attributed responsibility for the attack to the Abdullah Azzam Brigade, a militant organization based in Orakzai.[1]
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• Al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, on Friday released a video in which he "accused the United States of leading a crusade to turn Pakistan into a divided nation and urged Pakistanis to join in a jihad to resist." The tape is the second one by Zawahiri this month and the first since Pakistani Taliban leader Beitullah Mehsud's death.[2]
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• Security forces in Swat said they killed two militants in the Swat valley during a search operation. In Peshawar, meanwhile, police rearrested TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad's three sons a day after a judge ordered their release.[3]