Pakistan Army operation Zarb-e-Azb against militant organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) was launched in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in the North West of Pakistan.
Sameer Patil, associate national security fellow at Gateway House, comments on the recently-launched Pakistani military offensive and its impact on the Pakistani Taliban.
Statement:
“The Pakistan Army’s offensive in North Waziristan against the Taliban militants is long awaited. Despite the increasing brutality of Taliban attacks, launching a military offensive has always been a tough decision for the Pakistan government because such a move would prove unpopular with some troops who perceive the Taliban militants as their ‘misguided brothers’.
However, it is still too early to say whether the Taliban’s back has been broken. While many militants have been killed in these air strikes, the offensive will be a success only if there is a ground invasion. As the Taliban is entrenched in North Waziristan, it will require a ground operation to completely flush them out.
The Pakistan Army is in for the long haul now and it will need to sustain the tempo of its operations and brace for more violent retaliatory attacks from the Pakistani Taliban.”
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