Pak militants end truce with General, mount attacks in tribal region

As pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan’s restive North Waziristan tribal region announced they were pulling out of a peace deal with the government, up to 14 people, including 11 soldiers, were killed in an ambush on a convoy today, taking the death toll to 38 in attacks in the northwest of the country in the past 24 hours.

Accusing authorities of violating the pact — North Waziristan is a hotbed of support for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants and authorities signed a peace deal with local fighters in September last in a bid to marginalise their foreign allies — the leadership council or shura of the militants issued a statement in Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, stating “the Taliban are forced to announce the end of the agreement.”

Militants ambushed a convoy of police and paramilitary troops passing through Matta town of North West Frontier Province. Two roadside bombs and two suicide bombers struck the convoy in the attack in the Swat district, said military spokesman Major-General Arshad Waheed. Three civilians were also killed.

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“Blood is splattered all over the road. A paramilitary vehicle is totally gutted,” Pakistani reporter Moosa Khan said by telephone from the scene.

The attacks appear to be revenge for a commando assault on the Lal Masjid in the capital last week in which 75 supporters of hardline clerics and nine soldiers were killed, security officials said.