Pakistan miltary makes gains against militants in northwest

Real talk

Pakistani security officials said Wednesday that they had destroyed more than a dozen militant hideouts and killed at least 23 militants in Khyber tribal agency (Reuters, ET). Local residents say the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam militant groups had tried to take control of a strategically important village, and killed some 43 people in two days of fighting as the villagers resisted their takeover.

The district government of Gujrunwala in Punjab Province has decided to send 800 policemen to guard 800 teams of health workers administering polio vaccinations to children under five years of age, in response to continuing attacks on polio workers across Pakistan (ET).

Witnesses will testify live from Pakistan via video link next month in the trial of 77-year old Florida imam Hafiz Khan, who is accused of providing financial support to the TTP (AP)

Looking back

With eleven days left in his 18-month tour as commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen told the Washington Post that he is proud of the gains made by coalition forces and of the growth of the Afghan Army, but that much of those military gains have not been accompanied by the establishment of effective governance, which is the key to long-term stability (Post).

— Jennifer Rowland