Militants Overrun Pakistan Army Base (As Many As 25 Troops Missing)

[sabra]

Source: CBS News/AP

As Many As 25 Troops Missing, Feared Dead Along Treacherous Border With Afghanistan

(CBS/AP) As many as 25 troops were missing and feared dead after Islamic militants armed with rockets overran a remote military outpost close to the Afghan border, the military said Wednesday. It claimed 40 attackers were killed in the fight.

"About 200 militants charged the fort from four sides" late Tuesday, said army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas. "They broke through the fort's wall with rockets."

"Fifteen of the troops in the base escaped and they have reached (the town of) Jandola while 25 others have scattered and there is no news how many of them were martyred or fled," he said.

The border region has emerged as a front line in the war on terror since Pakistan allied itself with the U.S. following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Washington has given Pakistan billions of dollars in aid to help government forces battle militants.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/16/world/main3719023.shtml

[bemildred]

1. Not the first time either. nt

[annabanana]

2. Militants overrun Pakistan fort

Source: BBC News

Hundreds of militants have overrun a paramilitary fort in north-west Pakistan, killing or kidnapping many troops, the military says.
At least eight soldiers died in the raid and 15 escaped, the army says. The whereabouts of another 25 are unknown. Some reports put the death toll higher.

South Waziristan is a known stronghold of pro-Taleban and al-Qaeda militants.

~snip~

Correspondents say the Sararogha area is a stronghold of pro-Taleban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud.

He is accused by the government of being behind the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on 27 December and a wave of other bombings in recent months.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7191200.stm

---

I expect some of the new troops headed to Afganistan might end up on the Afgan side of this one...

[happyslug]

4. How many defected? All 25 of the missing?

Given the makeup of the Pakistan Army, the location of this base and the nature of the opposition, the attack may have occurred because the attackers KNEW they could take it given most of the Garrison supported the attackers. Thus I would not be surprised the "missing" defected even before the first Rifle was fired.

[ohio2007]

3. Pakistani army over runs the Red Mosque......and blow back is a biatch

Afterall, they created this monster by skimming the Saudi funding to turn a blind eye.

Bet the 'militants' have put together some very nasty videos of the burnt offerings they have made recently.

[daleo]

5. Will this be the fate of the Green Zone some day? n/t

[amandabeech]

6. This just gets nastier and nastier.

Those troops that our candidates wish to withdraw from Iraq may go straight to Afghaistan and, with more of this, Pakistan.

I don't pray much, but maybe I'll start. Problems in Pakistan could be bad for lots and lots of people in Asia and elsewhere.