At least 18 killed in Pakistan missile attack
Islamabad, 13 Jan. (AKI) - Unknown aircraft fired some three missiles into a village in the pro-Taliban tribal area of Bajaur on Friday, killing at least 18 people, according to residents and security officials quoted in news reports. The area borders Afghanistan's insurgent-troubled Kunar province, and several "huge" explosions rocked the village of Damadola at about 3 am local time, said a military spokesman, Major-General Shaukat Sultan.
Sultan said he did know the cause of the blasts, but said an investigation of the incident was underway. Eywitness told the Pakistan's Geo-TV that aircraft had been flying over the area for the last four days, and they heard the sound of planes' engines when Friday's blasts occurred. The house of local tribesman Gul Zaman was completely destroyed in the attacks, eyewitnesses said.
A Pakistani intelligence official quoted by Reuters said two aircraft had come in from Afghanistan and fired two or three missiles. "The casualties may be much higher. People are very angry. They are not allowing access, so exact figures of deaths and wounded people are not available," he said.
A U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan was quoted as saying there were no reports of US forces operating in that area. There have been no previous reports of fighting in Bajaur.
The incident comes just days after Pakistan launched a vehement protest with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. Cross-border firing in the nearby Waziristan tribal area last weekend killed eight people, including a women and wounded nine, Pakistan alleges.
Damadola village, the scene of Friday's attack, has been a stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (Movement for the Implementation of Mohammad's Sharia Law), a pro-Taliban group banned by Pakistan in January, 2002.
Pakistani intelligence officials suspect Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi may be involved in attacks on Coalition forces in Afghanistan, and the missile strikes may have been launched in retaliation.
US forces have been in Afghanistan since 2001, pursuing the Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies. US officials have long said they believed Osama bin Laden has been hiding out on the remote Afghan-Pakistan border
Sultan said he did know the cause of the blasts, but said an investigation of the incident was underway. Eywitness told the Pakistan's Geo-TV that aircraft had been flying over the area for the last four days, and they heard the sound of planes' engines when Friday's blasts occurred. The house of local tribesman Gul Zaman was completely destroyed in the attacks, eyewitnesses said.
A Pakistani intelligence official quoted by Reuters said two aircraft had come in from Afghanistan and fired two or three missiles. "The casualties may be much higher. People are very angry. They are not allowing access, so exact figures of deaths and wounded people are not available," he said.
A U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan was quoted as saying there were no reports of US forces operating in that area. There have been no previous reports of fighting in Bajaur.
The incident comes just days after Pakistan launched a vehement protest with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. Cross-border firing in the nearby Waziristan tribal area last weekend killed eight people, including a women and wounded nine, Pakistan alleges.
Damadola village, the scene of Friday's attack, has been a stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (Movement for the Implementation of Mohammad's Sharia Law), a pro-Taliban group banned by Pakistan in January, 2002.
Pakistani intelligence officials suspect Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi may be involved in attacks on Coalition forces in Afghanistan, and the missile strikes may have been launched in retaliation.
US forces have been in Afghanistan since 2001, pursuing the Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies. US officials have long said they believed Osama bin Laden has been hiding out on the remote Afghan-Pakistan border
posted by Marko at 1/13/2006 09:18:00 AM
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