Pakistan Security Brief – November 12, 2009
Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in the latest day of fighting in South Waziristan Agency; a Pakistani employee of the Iranian Consulate in Peshawar was attacked and killed by gunmen; seven suspected terrorists were detained by police after a shootout in Karachi; General Kayani denounced the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan and reaffirmed the country’s goal of eliminating the threat.
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Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in the latest day of fighting in South Waziristan. The Army now controls the main Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) positions of Sara Rogha, Makeen and Ladha. According to military press releases a total of five hundred and twenty-four militants have reportedly been killed since the start of the operation on October 17 (click here for more detail on operation in SWA).[1]
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A Pakistani working at the Iranian Consulate in Peshawar was killed in his vehicle near his house on Thursday. This attack comes a month after a suicide bombing in Tehran that killed dozens. Iranian officials have said they believe that Pakistani intelligence officials were involved in the bombing and this remains a contentious issue.[2]
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Seven suspected TTP militants were arrested by security forces after a shootout in Karachi. A number of weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the militants’ home including two suicide vests. Government officials believe that these individuals were planning attacks in Karachi.[3]
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Chief of Army Staff General Kayani spoke at the 123rd Corps Commanders Conference about the recent terrorist attacks carried out by the TTP in Pakistan. In the conference he criticized the terrorists and said that “since terrorists were incapable of confronting the military operation, they were targeting innocent civilians.” He continued by calling these “acts of cowardice.” Kayani also used the conference to pay respects to the soldiers that have lost their lives in the South Waziristan operation.[4]