The offensive which began yesterday has already led to some heavy fighting. No one doubts that Pakistan can launch the offensive, the better question is will they be able to maintain it and disrupt the Taliban for a longer time period:
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani forces exchanged heavy fire on Sunday with Taliban defending their heartland, a day after launching an offensive aimed at bringing the writ of the state to lawless lands on the Afghan border.
The army said 60 militants and five soldiers had been killed in the first 24 hours of a long-awaited offensive on the global Islamist hub of South Waziristan. Soldiers were securing territory while some militants were fleeing, it said.There was no independent verification of militant casualties.
The offensive follows a string of brazen militant attacks in different parts of the country, including an assault on army headquarters, in which more than 150 people were killed.About 28,000 soldiers are battling an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban, including about 1,000 tough Uzbek fighters and some Arab al Qaeda members.
The militants have had years to prepare their defenses in the land of arid mountains and sparse forest cut by dried-up creeks and ravines.
No doubt the Taliban have been waiting and I wish good luck to the soldiers of any nationality currently fighting them.
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