Pakistan attacks Taliban stronghold

Pakistan’s army took their battle against the Taliban to the streets of a key stronghold in the tribal region of South Waziristan today.

The soldiers fought through the mountainous town of Ladha in an action that left 40 militants dead across the region.

The assault was part of the continuing offensive in the Afghan border area seen as the main stronghold of both the Taliban and al Qaida.

Ladha is one of the three main Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan, according to the military.

Government forces have already taken another key town, Sararogha, and are expected to launch an attack soon on Makeen, the “nerve centre” of the Pakistani Taliban.

“It’s going fast,” said army spokesman General Athar Abbas.

The offensive has brought retaliation attacks across Pakistan.

Today militants ambushed a van as it travelled near Khar, the main town in the Bajur tribal region, killing two women teachers and wounding two other passengers.

Pakistan’s Taliban fighters are deeply opposed to modern education, particularly for girls, and have blown up schools and attacked teachers across the country.

“This is an alarming sign,” said Fazal Rabi, a senior official with Bajur’s tribal police force. Despite a spate of recent attacks, the government insists Bajur has been free of militants since it forced them out in an offensive earlier this year.