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| Militants Attack Pakistani Army, Killing 6 Soldiers and Setting Back Peace Talks | Militants Attack Pakistani Army, Killing 6 Soldiers and Setting Back Peace Talks |
| (3 months later) | |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Suspected Islamist militants attacked the Pakistani Army near a high-security military complex and along the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing six soldiers and three civilians in separate attacks that offered the clearest indication yet that faltering peace talks with the Taliban had effectively collapsed. | |
| In the first attack, a suicide bomber hurled himself at an unmarked military jeep as it crossed a railroad near the capital, Islamabad, killing two senior army officers and three civilians. There was no claim of responsibility, but officials feared that it was a reprisal for military airstrikes in the tribal belt last month. | In the first attack, a suicide bomber hurled himself at an unmarked military jeep as it crossed a railroad near the capital, Islamabad, killing two senior army officers and three civilians. There was no claim of responsibility, but officials feared that it was a reprisal for military airstrikes in the tribal belt last month. |
| “It is a targeted attack,” said a senior security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he had not been cleared to brief the public. “There is no doubt about it.” | “It is a targeted attack,” said a senior security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he had not been cleared to brief the public. “There is no doubt about it.” |
| The second assault took place in the mountains of Bajaur, a tribal district along the border with Afghanistan, where Pakistani Taliban fighters killed at least four Pakistani soldiers after opening fire on border posts, the army said. | The second assault took place in the mountains of Bajaur, a tribal district along the border with Afghanistan, where Pakistani Taliban fighters killed at least four Pakistani soldiers after opening fire on border posts, the army said. |
| The Pakistani military responded with fire from helicopter gunships, said another security official based in nearby Peshawar. | The Pakistani military responded with fire from helicopter gunships, said another security official based in nearby Peshawar. |
| The two attacks, which come one week after a debilitating split in the Taliban ranks, signaled the intent of at least some militant factions to press their campaign against the Pakistan military. | The two attacks, which come one week after a debilitating split in the Taliban ranks, signaled the intent of at least some militant factions to press their campaign against the Pakistan military. |
| They also represent a further blow to troubled efforts by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to end the insurgency through talks. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Sharif and his defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, attended the funeral of the two army officers who had been killed in the suicide bombing in Fateh Jang, 24 miles west of Islamabad. | They also represent a further blow to troubled efforts by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to end the insurgency through talks. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Sharif and his defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, attended the funeral of the two army officers who had been killed in the suicide bombing in Fateh Jang, 24 miles west of Islamabad. |
| “Our will cannot be weakened by such cowardly acts,” Mr. Sharif said in a statement condemning both the Bajaur episode and the suicide bombing. | “Our will cannot be weakened by such cowardly acts,” Mr. Sharif said in a statement condemning both the Bajaur episode and the suicide bombing. |
| Fateh Jang is home to a tightly secured military complex, and the two officers killed in the attack held the rank of lieutenant colonel. The bomber, who the police described as a teenager, struck as a military pickup truck crossed a railway intersection. | Fateh Jang is home to a tightly secured military complex, and the two officers killed in the attack held the rank of lieutenant colonel. The bomber, who the police described as a teenager, struck as a military pickup truck crossed a railway intersection. |
| The fact that the bomber targeted a vehicle without military markings suggested that he might have had inside information, the security official in Islamabad said. | The fact that the bomber targeted a vehicle without military markings suggested that he might have had inside information, the security official in Islamabad said. |
| The border violence in Bajaur spoke more directly to the role of the Taliban’s leader, Maulana Fazlullah. According to Pakistani officials, he has been hiding in the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, and a series of border incidents in that area has led to acrimonious exchanges between the governments in Kabul and Islamabad. | The border violence in Bajaur spoke more directly to the role of the Taliban’s leader, Maulana Fazlullah. According to Pakistani officials, he has been hiding in the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, and a series of border incidents in that area has led to acrimonious exchanges between the governments in Kabul and Islamabad. |
| In a statement on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry urged the Afghan government to take action against Pakistani militants hiding on their soil. | In a statement on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry urged the Afghan government to take action against Pakistani militants hiding on their soil. |
| “Pakistan condemns these unprovoked attacks,” the statement said. “Afghanistan must take concrete steps to stop the use of its territory against Pakistan.” | “Pakistan condemns these unprovoked attacks,” the statement said. “Afghanistan must take concrete steps to stop the use of its territory against Pakistan.” |
| Tensions have been rising along the same stretch of border since last weekend, when Afghan government officials accused the Pakistanis of firing dozens of rockets across the border. | Tensions have been rising along the same stretch of border since last weekend, when Afghan government officials accused the Pakistanis of firing dozens of rockets across the border. |
| Mr. Fazlullah’s position is at the heart of the dispute. Afghan officials have admitted that they have given him and his followers limited logistical and financial support. | Mr. Fazlullah’s position is at the heart of the dispute. Afghan officials have admitted that they have given him and his followers limited logistical and financial support. |
| But for many Afghans, those linkages are an attempt at retaliation for years of Pakistani support for the Afghan Taliban, which has used Pakistani territory as a base for cross-border attacks on Afghan and NATO forces. | But for many Afghans, those linkages are an attempt at retaliation for years of Pakistani support for the Afghan Taliban, which has used Pakistani territory as a base for cross-border attacks on Afghan and NATO forces. |
| In Wednesday’s border skirmish, military officials said that militants mounted attacks on remote border posts in Bajaur. At least four soldiers were killed, and four were wounded, they said. | In Wednesday’s border skirmish, military officials said that militants mounted attacks on remote border posts in Bajaur. At least four soldiers were killed, and four were wounded, they said. |
| The first attack occurred as Pakistani soldiers were establishing a new base on a remote mountaintop to prevent Taliban fighters from slipping across the border, the security official in Peshawar said. | The first attack occurred as Pakistani soldiers were establishing a new base on a remote mountaintop to prevent Taliban fighters from slipping across the border, the security official in Peshawar said. |
| “The militants have six bases just across the border, some within visible range,” he said. “They use them to infiltrate into Pakistan.” | “The militants have six bases just across the border, some within visible range,” he said. “They use them to infiltrate into Pakistan.” |
| The attacks could signal an attempt by Mr. Fazlullah to reassert his primacy after last week’s damaging split in the Taliban ranks, when a senior commander known widely as Sajna announced that he was breaking away to form his own group. | The attacks could signal an attempt by Mr. Fazlullah to reassert his primacy after last week’s damaging split in the Taliban ranks, when a senior commander known widely as Sajna announced that he was breaking away to form his own group. |
| Sajna’s splinter group, which has the backing of the powerful Haqqani network and parts of the Afghan Taliban, is believed to favor peace talks with Islamabad, while the remaining loyalist Taliban factions, led by Mr. Fazlullah, have adopted a more uncompromising stance. | Sajna’s splinter group, which has the backing of the powerful Haqqani network and parts of the Afghan Taliban, is believed to favor peace talks with Islamabad, while the remaining loyalist Taliban factions, led by Mr. Fazlullah, have adopted a more uncompromising stance. |
| Since last month’s operations in Waziristan, when the army conducted airstrikes against militant camps in the towns of Mir Ali and Miram Shah, security officials have been bracing for reprisal attacks in Islamabad. | Since last month’s operations in Waziristan, when the army conducted airstrikes against militant camps in the towns of Mir Ali and Miram Shah, security officials have been bracing for reprisal attacks in Islamabad. |
| The authorities established a rapid response force, comprising police officers and paramilitary soldiers, to patrol the capital. | The authorities established a rapid response force, comprising police officers and paramilitary soldiers, to patrol the capital. |
| But on Tuesday, two police officials belonging to the unit were injured when their vehicle was shot at in Aabpara, a busy marketplace in central Islamabad. There was no claim of responsibility, and the gunman escaped. | But on Tuesday, two police officials belonging to the unit were injured when their vehicle was shot at in Aabpara, a busy marketplace in central Islamabad. There was no claim of responsibility, and the gunman escaped. |