The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    DAVIS: Yankee hater finds love for team

  • National

    Late-season hurricane heads toward Gulf

  • Politics

    Abortion takes driver's seat in debate

  • Sports

    Redskins still going south

  • World

    Democracy a struggle in former Soviet Union

  • Politics

    Roadblock to greet health bill in Senate

  • Politics

    Lieberman vows probe of Hood rampage

Home » News » World

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Militants force men to fight

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

Pakistani offensive targets 'center of gravity' for al Qaeda, others

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pakistani troops assemble artillery in the Bajur tribal region, where insurgents found a haven, operations base and perhaps source of conscripts before Pakistan launched an offensive there against al Qaeda and Taliban militants in early August.

More World Stories

  • Suicide bomber kills 12 in Pakistan market
  • Democracy a struggle in former Soviet Union
  • 20 years after the Berlin Wall's fall: An East European looks back
  • Poland embraces past while moving ahead

By Nahal Toosi ASSOCIATED PRESS

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan | Militants battling security forces in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan have forced families to give up sons to fight alongside Islamist extremists, a Pakistani military official said.

New violence in the Bajur tribal region Saturday reportedly killed 16 insurgents, while police said they caught 35 militant suspects on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar.

Overall, more than 1,000 reported militants have died since Pakistan launched a military offensive in Bajur in early August, officials said. The effort has won praise from U.S. officials, who say al Qaeda and Taliban fighters involved in attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan use Bajur and neighboring tribal regions as a safe haven.

The offensive, which could last up to two more months, proceeds as Pakistan struggles with economic problems, power shortages and violence throughout the country, including a massive attack that devastated the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad a week ago.

Insurgents had a stranglehold on Bajur before the offensive, officials said. The militants converted schools into Islamic courts, set up a traffic control system, and imposed taxes on the timber and marble industries, the region's two main industries.

On Friday, a Pakistani military commander accused insurgents of forced conscription.

"All families were asked to give their one male child to this [militant] movement, and this was done forcibly, and if somebody doesn't do it, his house would be destroyed," said Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan of the paramilitary Frontier Corps.

It is nearly impossible to independently confirm the details provided by Gen. Khan and others in the military. Journalists' access to Bajur is restricted, and the area is remote and dangerous.

The government traditionally has had limited authority in the area, allowing tribes to wield tremendous influence, although that has suffered as militants have grown in power.

In a briefing to reporters visiting the region Friday on a special army-organized trip, Gen. Khan showed photos of militant tunnel systems and trenches and said Bajur had become a "center of gravity" for all sorts of insurgents from throughout the region.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  2. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  4. House OKs health reform bill
  5. Inside the Beltway
More Top Stories »
  1. Sniper's ex-wife speaks out on abuse
  2. Annandale man killed in hit-and-run
  3. Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams
  4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
  5. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute

Most Shared

  1. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
  5. Obama's unlearned lesson
More Top Stories »
  1. NSA surveillance -- of you?
  2. EDITORIAL: The negative Obama factor
  3. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute
  4. Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams
  5. Israelis unsure of U.S. support

Most Commented

  1. House OKs health reform bill
  2. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  3. Muslims stunned by Fort Hood shooting
  4. Furious scramble for health reform support
  5. 'Gentle' Army psychiatrist displayed worrisome signs
More Top Stories »
  1. Army chief wary of backlash against Muslim soldiers
  2. Obama praises those who ended Fort Hood violence
  3. Making fun of faith
  4. Israelis unsure of U.S. support
  5. Obama: It's Senate's turn on health care

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Question of the day

Do you think the health reform bill will pass?

Blogs & Columns

  • POTUS Notes

    New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

  • The Back Story

    12 arrested at Pelosi's office

  • Belief Blog

    Washington goes Greek this week

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Redskins 360

    Samuels feeling better, hopeful

  • Tara's Two Cents

    On their way to summer vacation..

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.