Disaster could delay anti-Taliban offensives
Pakistan's devastating floods are likely to delay army offensives against Taliban insurgents, the US defence secretary said yesterday, possibly giving militants chances to intensify attacks
Dera Ismail Khan: Pakistan's devastating floods are likely to delay army offensives against Taliban insurgents, the US defence secretary said on Friday, possibly giving militants chances to intensify attacks.
The US-backed government, overwhelmed by one of the worst natural disasters in Pakistan's history, already faces renewed Taliban violence.
The Al Qaida-linked Taliban took responsibility for triple bombings at a Shiite procession in the city of Lahore this week, challenging the civilian government further.
"Unfortunately the flooding in Pakistan is probably going to delay any operations by the Pakistani army in North Waziristan for some period of time," US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said in Afghanistan where he is visiting US troops.
Aside from its struggles against homegrown Taliban, Pakistan is under intense American pressure to tackle Afghan Taliban fighters who cross the border to attack US-led Nato troops.
Pakistan has said it will decide to carry out an assault in North Waziristan, where Washington says anti-American militants enjoy safe havens, at the time it considers appropriate.
