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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Taliban head 'must be eliminated' | Taliban head 'must be eliminated' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's army chief has said the head of the Taliban in Pakistan "must be eliminated". | Pakistan's army chief has said the head of the Taliban in Pakistan "must be eliminated". |
| General Ashfaq Kayani said Baitullah Mehsud, who has his stronghold in the tribal district of South Waziristan, was "not fighting for Islam". | General Ashfaq Kayani said Baitullah Mehsud, who has his stronghold in the tribal district of South Waziristan, was "not fighting for Islam". |
| His comments come as a provincial governor said an offensive to target militants was imminent. Neither man said when such an assault might begin. | His comments come as a provincial governor said an offensive to target militants was imminent. Neither man said when such an assault might begin. |
| Baitullah Mehsud's group is blamed for a string of deadly attacks in Pakistan. | Baitullah Mehsud's group is blamed for a string of deadly attacks in Pakistan. |
| See a map of the region | |
| Last week a prominent Muslim cleric who was outspoken in his opposition to the Taliban was killed in a suicide blast at his seminary in Lahore. | Last week a prominent Muslim cleric who was outspoken in his opposition to the Taliban was killed in a suicide blast at his seminary in Lahore. |
| Gen Kayani said that militants targeted children, the elderly and clerics - and as such they were Pakistan's enemies. | Gen Kayani said that militants targeted children, the elderly and clerics - and as such they were Pakistan's enemies. |
| "We are conducting this operation to bring misguided people back on the right path," he said. | "We are conducting this operation to bring misguided people back on the right path," he said. |
| "They are not fighting for Islam. Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and we know how to protect it," he added. | "They are not fighting for Islam. Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and we know how to protect it," he added. |
| Profile: Baitullah Mehsud Long war against Taliban | Profile: Baitullah Mehsud Long war against Taliban |
| Correspondents say the announcement of any operation is likely to please the US. | Correspondents say the announcement of any operation is likely to please the US. |
| Washington regards the tribal region as a particularly troublesome hideout for al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters suspected of attacks on US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan. | Washington regards the tribal region as a particularly troublesome hideout for al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters suspected of attacks on US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan. |
| The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says Baitullah Mehsud is thought to head the most powerful group of militants in the country, with a network of alliances with other militants in the Orakzai, Bajaur and Malakand regions. | The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says Baitullah Mehsud is thought to head the most powerful group of militants in the country, with a network of alliances with other militants in the Orakzai, Bajaur and Malakand regions. |
| His stronghold in South Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, is an area rumoured to be the hideout of Osama Bin Laden. | His stronghold in South Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, is an area rumoured to be the hideout of Osama Bin Laden. |
| Analysts puzzled | Analysts puzzled |
| Gen Kayani, speaking at a ceremony, did not explicitly confirm that the Pakistani army had gone after Baitullah Mehsud yet. | Gen Kayani, speaking at a ceremony, did not explicitly confirm that the Pakistani army had gone after Baitullah Mehsud yet. |
| He later boarded an F-16 fighter jet to carry out an attack as part of the broader operation against the Taliban - a symbolic gesture as Gen Kayani is not a pilot. | He later boarded an F-16 fighter jet to carry out an attack as part of the broader operation against the Taliban - a symbolic gesture as Gen Kayani is not a pilot. |
| His comments come a day after North West Frontier Province governor Owais Ahmad Ghani said troops had been ordered to target militants in the area. | His comments come a day after North West Frontier Province governor Owais Ahmad Ghani said troops had been ordered to target militants in the area. |
| "The Pakistan army and other law-enforcing agencies have been directed to crush the militants through a full-fledged and comprehensive plan," Mr Ghani told reporters in Islamabad. | "The Pakistan army and other law-enforcing agencies have been directed to crush the militants through a full-fledged and comprehensive plan," Mr Ghani told reporters in Islamabad. |
| Analysts in Pakistan have been puzzled over why the offensive has been publicised before being launched, removing any element of surprise. | Analysts in Pakistan have been puzzled over why the offensive has been publicised before being launched, removing any element of surprise. |
| Difficulties ahead | Difficulties ahead |
| Many point out that an operation against Baitullah Mehsud will require consensus across Pakistan's political spectrum, which only the central government can develop. | Many point out that an operation against Baitullah Mehsud will require consensus across Pakistan's political spectrum, which only the central government can develop. |
| In the past, Pakistani army action has faltered or ended in truces that correspondents say have strengthened the militants. | In the past, Pakistani army action has faltered or ended in truces that correspondents say have strengthened the militants. |
| Gen Kayani acknowledged the difficulties of the challenge. He said the war they were fighting was not a conventional war and that it was very difficult to discriminate between a friend and a foe. | Gen Kayani acknowledged the difficulties of the challenge. He said the war they were fighting was not a conventional war and that it was very difficult to discriminate between a friend and a foe. |
| Analysts say that in many ways a full-scale operation in South Waziristan would be harder than the recent fighting in the Swat valley, where Pakistani troops say they killed hundreds of militants in the past six weeks. | Analysts say that in many ways a full-scale operation in South Waziristan would be harder than the recent fighting in the Swat valley, where Pakistani troops say they killed hundreds of militants in the past six weeks. |
| So far the armed forces have described their operations in South Waziristan as limited, compared with the high-profile offensive in the Swat valley further north. | So far the armed forces have described their operations in South Waziristan as limited, compared with the high-profile offensive in the Swat valley further north. |
| Meanwhile, militants have been targeting sites across north-west Pakistan. | Meanwhile, militants have been targeting sites across north-west Pakistan. |
| At least eight people were killed in a bomb attack at a market in the north-western town of Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday. | At least eight people were killed in a bomb attack at a market in the north-western town of Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday. |
| The explosives were reported to have been detonated by remote control after being hidden in a rickshaw. | The explosives were reported to have been detonated by remote control after being hidden in a rickshaw. |
| The authorities blamed the attack on supporters of Baitullah Mehsud. | The authorities blamed the attack on supporters of Baitullah Mehsud. |
| A spokesman for Baitullah Mehsud has claimed that his group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, has also been behind several other deadly attacks on Pakistani civilians recently, AFP news agency reported. | A spokesman for Baitullah Mehsud has claimed that his group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, has also been behind several other deadly attacks on Pakistani civilians recently, AFP news agency reported. |
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| Are you in Waziristan? What is your reaction to the military offensive against Baitullah Mehsud. Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Waziristan? What is your reaction to the military offensive against Baitullah Mehsud. Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |