Pakistanis to aid in terror sweep

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Plans for a U.S.-led offensive along the Afghan-Pakistani border call for the Pakistani military and U.S. special forces to sweep through villages and mountain passes in western Pakistan, flushing out fugitive al-Qaida and Taliban fighters and driving them toward U.S. and allied forces waiting across the border, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

The official said that the operation, which was developed jointly by U.S. and Pakistani military planners, is still in its early stages. "The Pakistanis are preparing to move," he said.

U.S. and Afghan officials have acknowledged this week that a major military operation was being set in motion against Taliban and al-Qaida fighters believed to be hiding in western Pakistan. Driven from Afghanistan late last year by U.S. and allied forces, large contingents of the two radical Islamic groups are said to have taken refuge in Pakistan’s remote tribal areas, though some of their forces remain in Afghanistan as well.

"There really are pockets on both sides of the border that have to be dealt with," the official said.

The U.S. Army already has flown Apache attack helicopters to a forward operating base near the eastern Afghan town of Khost and has begun ferrying infantry troops from the 101st Airborne Division into the area to support the British Marines and U.S. special forces troops already positioned there. Defense officials said as many as 1,000 U.S. troops ultimately could be involved in the fight.

The concept of the cross-border operation reflects lessons U.S. military strategists believe they learned at two earlier battles in eastern Afghanistan, at Tora Bora in December and at Shah-e-Kot in March. The new plan relies little on Afghan militias, whose faltering performance disappointed U.S. allies in both engagements.

Instead, it leans heavily on the Pakistani military, which has consistently pleased the U.S. military with its ability to execute missions along the border. U.S. military officials privately credit the Pakistanis with apprehending about half the 300 suspected members of al-Qaida and Taliban now detained at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In a possible sign that al-Qaida fighters inside Pakistan are reacting to the mounting pressure on them, a rocket was fired before dawn Wednesday at a building in the border village of Miram Shah where American personnel were asleep, a local Pakistani official said. The rocket damaged an adjacent building but did not inflict any casualties, he added.

A spokesman for the Central Command, the U.S. military headquarters for the Afghan war, said he had no information on the rocket attack. U.S. officials generally are reluctant to publicly discuss U.S. operations inside Pakistan, but some have said privately that U.S. soldiers are participating in reconnaissance and other offensive operations inside that country.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Everett
Judge sentences man, 73, for intending to have sex with ‘teen’ in Everett

The Arizona man sent explicit images to an agent posing as a 13-year-old. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

State’s draft of climate action plan open for public comment

Residents can submit public comments or climate-related stories online through Aug. 22.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

The Edmonds School Board discusses budget cuts during a school board meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds school board approves 2025-26 budget

After facing an estimated $8.5 million shortfall earlier in the year, the board passed a balanced budget Tuesday.

A wall diagram shows the “journey of the ballot” at the new Elections Center on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County Auditor: No need for feds to meddle with state or local elections

Garth Fell’s comments were in response to a report of Justice Department mulling criminal charges against election officials.

Edmonds Police Chief Loi Dawkins speaks after the city council approved her appointment on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds City Council confirms new police chief

Assistant Chief Loi Dawkins will begin in the role Aug. 1. She has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, including three years in Edmonds.

The Edmonds City Council discuss the levy during a city council meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds votes to place levy lid lift on the ballot

By a vote of 5-2, the council decided to put the $14.5 million property tax levy lid lift to voters in November.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.