http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/21/pakistan.militants/index.html
Insurgent clashes kill at least 41 in Pakistan * Story Highlights * Fighting in Balochistan not connected to military offensive in northwest * Balochistan rich in natural gas, insurgents fighting Pakistani forces for self-rule * Local media: Security forces launched an offensive in the district of Dera Bugti * Over the years militant attacks in the province have killed hundreds ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Gun battles between paramilitary troops and militants in Pakistan's troubled southwest killed at least 41 people Sunday, including nine soldiers, the state-run news agency reported. The fighting in the province of Balochistan is not connected to an ongoing military offensive in the country's northwest, which also has claimed dozens of lives. Balochistan is rich in natural gas, and insurgents there have been fighting Pakistani military forces for self-rule. For years, they have complained that the government has paid little attention to them and their economic needs. After militants in the province attacked a convoy of soldiers Saturday, security forces launched an offensive in the district of Dera Bugti, local media said. Dera Bugti is home to four major gas fields and was once the operational base for rebel leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed in a military raid in 2006. By Sunday, the clashes claimed 41 lives, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Nine were soldiers with the Frontier Corps, which uses recruits from Pakistan's tribal areas and is overseen by Pakistani army officers. One was an engineer with Pakistan <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Pakistan> Petroleum Limited. The rest were militants, APP said. Over the years, militant attacks in the province have killed hundreds. The fighting had quieted after Bugti's death. Pakistan has said the militants in Balochistan -- near the Afghan border -- do not have links to the Islamic hardliners who have launched assaults in other parts of the country. Recently, the province has seen an influx of Afghan refugees. And Afghanistan's government believes key Taliban leaders may be hiding among them. Soon after the ruling Pakistan People's Party swept into power in February elections, it called for an end to military operations in the province. It said it would work toward giving "maximum provincial autonomy" to the area. "The PPP on behalf of the people of Pakistan apologizes to the people of the province of Balochistan for the atrocities and injustices committed against them and pledges to embark on a new highway of healing and mutual respect," the party said in a press release. Just as in Balochistan, Pakistan's civilian government is negotiating with tribal leaders in the lawless border region in the northwest. At the same time, the military is in the midst of an offensive in the North West Frontier Province -- the biggest push against extremists in the tribal region since the government took power. All AboutPakistan <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Pakistan> <http://images.clickability.com/pti/spacer.gif> Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/21/pakistan.militants/index.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
