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Subscribe to RSSPESHAWAR, Pakistan – An improvised explosive device detonated amid a Pakistani military convoy deployed to fight al-Qaida and militant groups Sunday in the volatile North Waziristan tribal region, leaving 16 army soldiers dead and 22 wounded, military officials said.
The attack took place only a day after Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mahsud asked his fighters to refrain from attacking Pakistani security forces and government installations in North Waziristan and abide by a peace accord signed between the government and regional Taliban led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur.
No militant group claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack on Pakistani security forces, though military authorities and government officials blamed anti-Pakistan militant organizations opposed to the restoration of peace in North Waziristan.
Military officials said the local administration had banned civilian traffic from roads in all of North Waziristan on Sunday because of the movements of the security forces in the tribal region.
The officials said unknown people planted the IED on the Miranshah-Razmak road which went off when the military convoy passed through the mountainous Narray Wala area.
Government officials in the Razmak subdivision said two heavy military trucks were damaged in the blast. They said one of the trucks, which was carrying more than two dozen soldiers, plunged into a 1,000-foot-deep ravine after being hit by the IED.
They said they believe most of the soldiers died when the truck fell into the ravine.
Military officials said it took hours of frantic effort to recover the bodies and injured soldiers from the ravine before dark. Most of the injured were airlifted to military hospitals in Bannu and Peshawar.
Military sources said they feared the death toll would rise because most of the injured were in critical condition.
An official of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had the death toll at 14 soldiers and the number of wounded at 22. The discrepancy in the death toll was not explained.
Government and military authorities said the attack came as a surprise after Mahsud asked his fighters to abide by the peace accord signed between the government and local Taliban in North Waziristan.
Video: US drone strikes reportedly increase in Pakistan
Government officials speculated that there might be elements within the Pakistani Taliban who did not want peace to prevail in North Waziristan or there could be a foreign presence trying to create mistrust between the tribespeople and armed forces.
One of the officials in Miranshah said that military officials were encouraged enough by the peace initiative by the Taliban militants that they relaxed curfew for the local tribespeople three times on Sunday on the road where the attack took place so expectant mothers could be taken to hospital to give birth.
"Nobody expected an attack on Pakistani forces," a government official said on condition of anonymity.
The militants affiliated with Mahsud on Saturday issued a pamphlet in which the leader directed his men to abide by the peace agreement between local Taliban and the government for the maintenance of law and order in North Waziristan.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan, calling from an undisclosed location, confirmed the Mahsud directive.
"Oh, mujahedeen brothers! As you know that the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid are engaged in jihad against the crusaders and infidels, and are supporters of each other in the ongoing holy war, the enemies do not want to see us united and disciplined against them and are being trying to divide us," Mahsud said in the pamphlet.
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Just more proof that the Taliban rank and file only want to kill people. They know nothing else. They obviously spent much more time building IED's, planning attacks and extorting money from the locals than they do praying and studying Islam. It seems they have selected one or two verses from the Koran that directs them to kill, and are totally ignoring the entire rest of the book...if they read it at all. I'll bet they don't carry copies with them.
This is the snag with a gentleman's agreement - you have to assume as measure of integrity on BOTH sides. Since the Pakistani government and the Taliban leadership can be characterised as "congenital liars" the cowardly killing by an IED should be NO SURPRISE.
And the rest of the Book is so great?
Have a ham sandwich.
If you can't trust Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid, who can you trust?
Not anyone of our leaders.
just another day in paradise i.e., Pakistan.
Sad day, when you can't control your own homemade terrorists!
The whole area is a third world $hithole. Let them kill each other off.
More like one or two hundred verses that direct them to kill, versus many fewer preaching peace (and that, a peace usually reserved for fellow Muslims only).
ORB 1943 hit the nail right on the head! Well said!
Islamic warriors are tearing Quran to pieces in Pakistan, a pure Islamic nation.
Fountainheads of fast backwards march of Islamic cult to seventh century barbaric, beastly desert days are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Islamic holy warriors are blowing up Pakis, the promoters and exporters of Islamic holy wars, on their faces!
It is only matter of time before Islamic holy warriors blow up the inventors, Sunni Saudis and co.
Bye the bye, both are strategic allies.
Instead of "responsible" interventions, hope our politicians will keep away from these basket case Muslim nations on the verge of bloody civil wars!
Lie with dogs, get fleas.
they're frreakin animals is what they are
They are fighting a Holy War.
They believe it even if our P C leaders won't admit it.
MC Gusto: You appear to be "loving Muslims" more than I!
Pakis and Saudis are the seventh century desert barbaric and beastly Sunni Islamic beasts. They know only hating and killing.
From the history, we alll know that religious mad nuts are the worst of all.
But in 21st century Sunni Islamic beasts are setting new world records.
It seems like the soldiers got killed because leaders make deals with fanatics.
How much do we pay them? They signed a peace deal with the Taliban.
To bad it was the soldiers and not the leaders who got blown up.
Pakis did make deals with some "good" Talibans, who attacked NATO forces from their sancturies in Pakistan, a pure Islamic nation.
No wonder: half of NATO forces deaths are due to "strategic ally", Pakistan.
Recenty drone attack killed one leader of "good" Taliban.
"Oh, mujahedeen brothers! As you know that the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid are engaged in jihad against the crusaders and infidels"
Paki leaders, with dual citizenships of Pakistan and Britain, did pact with "good" Taliban and those leaders are ready to run to Britain, US and European nations.
The biggest criminal and backstabber, Gen Mush is already in Britain and his son is in the US. Gen Mush was on lecture tour in the US too.
In all these "deals" business, Paki soldiers just like our NATO forces are blown up!
Imagine being in that truck as it went down a 1,000 foot deep ravine.
How did anyone survive that?
"Oh, mujahedeen brothers! As you know that the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid are engaged in jihad against the crusaders and infidels, and are supporters of each other in the ongoing holy war, the enemies do not want to see us united and disciplined against them and are being trying to divide us,"
lol how the fuk can you call this a "ceasefire" pamphlet?
Another Sunday of good news!!! The monkeys are killing the donkeys!!!
Maybe they will continue.
Bad news is that they don't kill in large numbers.
Why don't the Paki Islamic holy warriors get hold of Paki nukes and clean Pakistan of all impure people?
Then they should move to Saudi Arabia.
I bet the Americans did it to ruin the peace treaty with the Taliban
Way to go Islam, kill each other while we watch. Keep up the good work, just try for a larger kill next time!
"IED blast kills 16 Pakistani soldiers despite Taliban leader's directive"
Call it "friendly fire".
good call
Let the friendly fire be of Paki nukes!
Normal Muslim day. No surprise.
The sooner civilized humanity realizes that islam is not a religion but is nothing more than an evil virus (muhammed being patient zero) the better off all of us will be. Anyone reading the koran and is following islam or is born into a family which follows this ideology is infected with this virus. A virus spreads without logical agenda, kills without remorse, produces nothing but itself and leaves death, destruction and despair in its wake. Sound familiar?
These infected beings follow the teachings of an animal who murdered and mutilated countless numbers for not converting to the disease he carried. He raped a 7 year old girl, killed and butchered a man and on the same day he raped the man's widow. This is who these infected deem a prophet? How can we possibly deal with these infected beings on a logical level while they constantly show you their brains are diseased?
Science has never cured a virus. All the non-infected can do is isolate ( move them out of your country and do not let them into your country) the virus and pretty soon the disease will kill all of its hosts. No hosts..........no virus. Observe what is happening in Iraq for instance. US troops have pulled out, and now that they don't have the US troops to kill.....they are killing each other. I say we should do all we can to help these diseased animals become extinct. Only then will the rest of civilized humanity have a chance at real peace.
The time and place for political correctness expired in NYC on 911.
PC did not expire on 911.
If it had expired there would not have been 2003 Iraqi war.
When oil rich Sunni rulers like those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Sunni Arab League nations, oil companies and their lobbyists flash money or some favors, many in the US, Britain and other places start jumping in the direction pointed by them.
Why anyone with little sense will impose sanctions on Iranian oil and manipulate oil prices from $40 in 2009 to more than $110 now?
Many are eager to jump "responsibily" in Syria as Saudis are directing them there!
The reasons we impose sanctions on Iranian oil is because they have nothing else of value to offer the rest of the world. This is their only valued export, so we pressure them by stopping the flow of foreign money. This is the problem with islamic nations. Once their brains become infected with the koran they cease to be able to think freely and so no new ideas are allowed to flourish. They have all this oil money and cannot even construct an automobile. They are trying to construct an atomic bomb 70 years after its conception, and they still cannot figure out how to do it. Thank allah! Their "high tech" naval ships still run on diesel! OMG, how backward can you get?
1 USD = 68.72 Iranian Rials before the Shah of Iran was deposed
1 USD = 12,285.00 Iranian Rials under islamic rule
Do you think they get it yet? Nope.
As for your oil price reference.
http://www.fedprimerate.com/crude-oil-price-history.htm
July 4, 2008 crude oil price per barrel $ 145.29
October 23, 2009 crude oil price per barrel $ 80.50
This put a smile on my face. You can't have it both ways
Someone didn't get the memo...they were probably using a mac.
I hope the Pakistanis don't let political correctness get the way of destroying the Taliban as they have in the USA.
Seven You are theologically challenged ..... Hatred and war mongering is a tactic of feeble minded
The only true hero in Pakistan is the one who led us to Bin Laden, who is currently in the Pakistan jail. When is the POTUS going to do something for the one who was instrumental in getting the worlds most wanted terrorist, guess he will just take another vacation
No. You are going to take a vacation as soon as I hit my ignore button.
At least these people don't have to worry about their 401(k).
So much for negotiating with the Taliban. No doubt Pakistan will be demanding more money to fight them which will be pocketed by their corrupt leaders. Stop funding terrorists to fight terrorists contain Muslims from migrating to new lands deport if necessary and let them implode on their putrid hatred.
Looks like someone dropped a gooly, one day we have the Taliban saying they will not attack the army and the next bang! Still if they are embracing martyrdom that's all that matters. Question for the Taliban is who are they embracing, Satan?
When you allowed rattle snakes to live on your property. Don't expect them to be friendly when you ask for a truce.
You can't make deals with monsters. Radical Islamic terrorists are waging wars on many fronts around the globe for world domination and the elimination of all religions other than their perverted version of Islam. The Taliban have been trying to over throw the moderate democratic government of Pakistan for many years in order to install a radical Islamic dictatorship. They have carved out armed enclaves from sovereign Pakistani territory from which they infiltrate terrorists into neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan must decisively defeat the Taliban if they want peace and security for their people and for their Afghan neighbors.
Lying, backstabbing, Pakistan was attacked by their allies. Is it hard for anyone to believe that the cowardly Taliban first assures them that they are brothers in arms, fighting the evil westerners, and then blows their azz off a cliff? It was probably an honest mistake. They thought it was a convoy of school buses.