US ’could expand war’ in Pakistan
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 19, 2009 00:00
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his top aides are considering expanding covert operations against Taliban leaders in Pakistan to southwestern Baluchistan province, the New York Times reported yesterday.
Two reports sent to the White House call for broadening the target area to include the region in and around the Pakistani city of Quetta, the Times reported, citing unnamed senior administration officials. In Islamabad, foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit downplayed the report. "We have seen the report. It appears to be speculative and we cannot comment on speculations," Basit told AFP.
Quetta, located some 43 miles from the border with Afghanistan and with a population of about one million, is the capital of Baluchistan province.
Up to now missile strikes launched by U.S. drones against insurgents who carry out attacks in Afghanistan have been limited to Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas, the Times reports. "It is fair to say that there is wide agreement to sustain and continue these covert programs," an unnamed senior U.S. administration official told the newspaper. "One of the foundations on which the recommendations to the president will be based is that we've got to sustain the disruption of the safe havens."
On the issue of Baluchistan, top Obama advisers however are split. Some fear that such strikes could increase tensions with Pakistan, which said in late February it wanted to discuss ending controversial U.S. drone attacks inside its territory.
Mullah Muhammad Omar, who led the Taliban government ousted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, has operated with near impunity out of the region for years, along with many of his deputies, the newspaper said.
Unlike the semi-autonomous tribal belt, Baluchistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is under the authority of the central government. Baluchistan province has rich energy resources but is rife with regional insurgency and sectarian violence involving Sunni and Shiite Muslim extremists. Hundreds of people have died in insurgent unrest in the province since 2004, when rebels began demanding political autonomy.
Quetta, located some 43 miles from the border with Afghanistan and with a population of about one million, is the capital of Baluchistan province.
Up to now missile strikes launched by U.S. drones against insurgents who carry out attacks in Afghanistan have been limited to Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas, the Times reports. "It is fair to say that there is wide agreement to sustain and continue these covert programs," an unnamed senior U.S. administration official told the newspaper. "One of the foundations on which the recommendations to the president will be based is that we've got to sustain the disruption of the safe havens."
On the issue of Baluchistan, top Obama advisers however are split. Some fear that such strikes could increase tensions with Pakistan, which said in late February it wanted to discuss ending controversial U.S. drone attacks inside its territory.
Mullah Muhammad Omar, who led the Taliban government ousted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, has operated with near impunity out of the region for years, along with many of his deputies, the newspaper said.
Unlike the semi-autonomous tribal belt, Baluchistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is under the authority of the central government. Baluchistan province has rich energy resources but is rife with regional insurgency and sectarian violence involving Sunni and Shiite Muslim extremists. Hundreds of people have died in insurgent unrest in the province since 2004, when rebels began demanding political autonomy.