India-Pakistan: Open Season On The Hit Parade

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October 15, 2007: Indian counter-terror operations against Maoists in eastern and southern states has put the terrorists on the defensive. The Maoists appear to have adopted an assassination tactic, going after commanders of counter-terror organizations, police and political parties that are hurting the communist rebels the most. The Maoists have been violent for the last six years, resulting in nearly a thousand rebels, security personnel and civilians dying, and thousands more wounded. There's been a lot of property damage, as the Maoists sustain themselves by extorting money from businesses.

October 14, 2007: Near the north Indian city of Amritsar, a bomb went off in a crowded movie theater, killing six. Two days, another theater in the region was bombed, killing two. Islamic terrorists, who disapprove of movies and music, are suspected.

October 13, 2007: In Pakistan’s tribal areas, attempts to arrange a truce failed and Taliban tribesmen made attacks on several army road blocks. Over the last few days, a group of Taliban fought with a kidnapping gang, leaving over a dozen dead. The Taliban try to improve their image by going after criminal gangs that the police appear unable to deal with. Some of these gangs are protected by a powerful tribe, so the Taliban is declaring war on the tribe by going after these bandits.

In South Waziristan, tribal gunmen released another 30 soldiers, out of a group of over 200 who had been trapped and captured weeks ago. The tribesmen are trying to force the army to shut down roadblocks in their tribal territory.

October 12, 2007: In Kashmir, a bomb went off in an army camp, killing seven soldiers. In the past few days, nearly a dozen Islamic terrorists have been killed in the area, as well as at least four soldiers.

October 11, 2007: In Pakistan’s tribal areas along the Afghan border, tribal elders tried to arrange a truce. It’s not so much the fighting, which is restricted to a few areas, but the army roadblocks that are choking trade. There are food shortages, and merchants are complaining about lost business. While the tribal elders care about this, their Taliban opponents don’t.

October 10, 2007: In Pakistan’s pro-Taliban border region, a bomb went off in a CD shop. Damaging over three dozen other CD shops. The merchants complained that they had received letters demanding that they close, because music and videos are “un-Islamic.” Sixteen people were injured.

October 9, 2007: In Pakistan’s North Waziristan, near the Afghan border, three days of fighting in a Taliban held town have left about 250 dead. About 20 percent of the dead are soldiers, 60 percent armed tribesmen and the rest civilians. Pakistan is trying to break the power of Islamic militant groups that have been terrorizing the tribal leaders in the region.

 

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