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Pakastani Army Captures Taliban Stronghold

The Pakistani army announced today that it has recaptured Kotkai, a city in southern Waziristan (read more at NYTimes.com). The capture of Kotkai is a very important strategic and symbolic victory for the Pakastani offensive against the Taliban in Waziristan. It is the hometown of Pakastani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud and the organizer of the Taliban’s suicide bombing squads, Qari Hussain. Mehsud took over leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban, after Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a CIA drone attack in August.

The Pakistan military had captured Kotkai earlier this week, but the Taliban retook the town early Tuesday morning, killing seven Pakistani soldiers and destroying a checkpoint outside of the city. Fighting is now expected to move into more rugged and mountainous terrain as the Pakistani military rushes to complete its objectives before the coming winter. (Read more at BBC).


Map from bbc.co.uk. Click to enlarge.

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