January31, 2007:
Britain has warned its citizens to reconsider travel to Pakistan
during the period of Shia religious celebrations (which ends on February 18)
because of the number of Sunni terrorists who have been attacking Shia
worshippers. The government provided a list of the most volatile localities,
which British citizens should avoid for the moment.
January
30, 2007: In Pakistans northwest tribal areas, resistance to police presence
left two civilians dead, and nine policemen wounded. Tribal militants have been
firing mortar shells and rockets into towns controlled by police. The local
Pushtun tribes prefer to act as their own police. This has long been a
contentious issue with the national government.
Elsewhere
in Pakistan, violence between Sunni and Shia left two Sunni terrorists dead.
The Sunni terrorists were trying to interrupt a Shia religious festival.
January
29, 2007: In Pakistan, another suicide bomb went off, killing the bomber and
wounding seven bystanders. Police arrested six Sunni terrorists, and seized
explosive belts and other weapons. The men were planning suicide attacks on
Shia religious celebrations. Violence between Sunni and Shia terrorists has
been going on for decades.
January
27, 2007: In Pakistan, Sunni terrorists set off a suicide bomb near a Shia
mosque, killing eleven people (including a police commander, for the police
were out in force to guard against such attacks during a Shia religious
festival.) At least three dozen people were wounded.
January
26, 2007: In Pakistans capital, a suicide bomber killed himself and the
employee of a major hotel. Six people were wounded, but none of them were
foreign guests at the hotel. In Quetta, the capital of the Pakistani
province of Baluchistan, tribal separatists fired two rockets into residential
areas. There was property damage, but no casualties.
January
25, 2007: In northeast India, tribal separatists set off three bombs, killing
two and wounding five. Another bomb was found and dismantled. One of the dead
was a bomber whose bomb went off as it was being transported.
January
24, 2007: The United States and Pakistan continue to argue over what Pakistan
should do about Taliban bases inside Pakistan's tribal territories. Officially,
Pakistan denies that they exist, privately, Pakistan warns that sending in the
army, to take out the bases, could trigger a major war with the tribes. The
U.S. has offered air support, but Pakistan fears news of that could trigger
unrest all over Pakistan. Basically, the Pakistani government, which is
currently a military dictatorship, does not want any trouble, and is willing to
cut deals, like allowing the Taliban to base themselves in Pakistan, in order
to keep the peace and stay in power.