Pakistan jets strike North Waziristan..[ 4091 ]

Pakistan jets renew strikes on tribal North Waziristan

BBC., 16 June 2014 Last updated at 06:25 GMT

Many civilians fled in anticipation of the offensive, which the army hopes will disrupt militant strongholds.

Pakistani fighter jets are reported to have carried out fresh air strikes against militants based in the north-west tribal area of North Waziristan.

They came hours after the government announced an offensive in the mountainous area bordering Afghanistan.
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Many civilians fled in anticipation of the offensive, which the army hopes will disrupt militant strongholds.
It is just one week since a deadly militant attack on the country's largest airport in the city of Karachi.
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On Sunday the government proclaimed that Abu Abdul Rehman al-Maani, an Uzbek believed to have helped organise the Karachi airport assault, was among those killed.
These latest strikes are said to have targeted the thickly forested Shawal Valley, an area with few roads where the army says the Taliban are known to have hideouts.

Remote mountainous regions along the Pakistan-Afghan border are a Taliban stronghold

  The authorities say they are setting up "surrender points" for the militants, but the army has been tasked with "eliminating" those who will not give themselves up.

Sealed off Sources believe that aircraft and artillery will form the basis of this offensive, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Islamabad.
There are already more than 60,000 troops in the region but reports say ground troops have not so far been involved in direct military action.
Our correspondent says that North Waziristan is effectively being sealed off, and Afghanistan has been asked to plug militant escape routes.

Reuters reports that the army has imposed an all-day curfew and switched off mobile phone services to stop militant communication.
Arrangements are also being made for the evacuation of those civilians remaining in the region.
"We have packed up everything and are ready to leave as soon as the curfew is lifted," Reuters quotes Ethasham Khan as saying from the main town in North Waziristan, Miranshah.

Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, is among the areas under curfew

Concerned about a militant backlash, the authorities are also stepping up security across the country.
The US has long pressed for an offensive in North Waziristan, one of the last areas in the restive north-west where a large-scale push against insurgents has not taken place.
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A new report on the use of US drone strikes claims they contributed to an increase in violence around the country and caused large numbers of militants to move elsewhere in Pakistan to avoid attack.
The first drone strike this year was carried out in the tribal region after the Karachi attack. 
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A statement from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's office said the government had tried to resolve the crisis through dialogue - a reference to peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban that began earlier this year - but it had been frustrated by continued attacks.