Militants threaten to avenge drone attacks by targeting forces

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 By Bureau report

PESHAWAR: Taking strong exception to the Monday’s airstrikes by US drones in South Waziristan tribal agency, the Ahmadzai Wazir tribal militants Tuesday warned they would avenge of the killing of their seven colleagues from Pakistani security forces within three days. Commander Naubahar, a militant commander affiliated with pro-government militant commander Maulvi Nazeer group, Tuesday called The News from Wana, headquarters of South Waziristan, by telephone that despite their repeated appeals to the military officials, they could not stop US spy planes from killing innocent people in the tribal region. “We know very well who is our friend and who is the enemy,” remarked the militant commander. He said they were left with no other option but to pick up arms against Pakistani security forces. Asked how they justify attacks on Pakistani security forces when the government was silent over drone attacks, Commander Naubahar argued they did not fight against their armed forces. Therefore, he said, it was their responsibility to protect them against foreign aggression. He said US forces have lost the war against Taliban in Afghanistan and were now killing innocent civilians inside Pakistan. “For how long we will keep our people calm. We receive disfigured bodies of our colleagues and relatives, killed in drone attacks, on daily basis,” Naubahar said.