At least 23 policemen and five civilians were killed since Wednesday, June 1 in the attack by hundreds of Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, a checkpoint near the Afghan border in northwestern Pakistan. The post is located six kilometers from the border with the Afghan province of Kunar, where the Afghan Taliban are most active.
The army sent helicopter gunships that have managed to repel the Taliban in the mountains around, but sporadic fighting continued on Thursday, more than 24 hours after the attack began, according to police sources. The tribal areas of northwest Pakistan are the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban, responsible for a deadly wave of bombings across the country, but also the main sanctuary of Al Qaeda and the rear base of the Afghan Taliban fighters, on the other side of the border, soldiers of the NATO international force.
The Pakistani Taliban have declared allegiance to Al Qaeda and groups allied with the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network in particular. Over 4,400 Pakistanis were killed in attacks - mainly suicide - since the summer of 2007 when, in unison with bin Laden himself, the Pakistani Taliban have declared jihad on Islamabad to support the "war against terrorism "in Washington.
Since late 2001, the Pakistani army has lost thousands of men in battle against the Taliban and Afghan and foreign fighters of Al Qaeda in the tribal areas. But Washington, its main funder, constantly press Islamabad to do more. Since a U.S. commandos killed May 2 Osama bin Laden in a garrison town of northern Pakistan, the U.S.
is putting pressure on the government and the army to launch an offensive in the tribal district of North Waziristan, the main stronghold of Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network. Pakistani media buzzing with rumors of an imminent offensive, determined by them under pressure from Washington, but the army and the government said in a tense context of relations with the United States, it will take place if it is "in the national interest" and when they decide.
The Pakistani Taliban, meanwhile, vowed to avenge bin Laden. 
The army sent helicopter gunships that have managed to repel the Taliban in the mountains around, but sporadic fighting continued on Thursday, more than 24 hours after the attack began, according to police sources. The tribal areas of northwest Pakistan are the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban, responsible for a deadly wave of bombings across the country, but also the main sanctuary of Al Qaeda and the rear base of the Afghan Taliban fighters, on the other side of the border, soldiers of the NATO international force.
The Pakistani Taliban have declared allegiance to Al Qaeda and groups allied with the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network in particular. Over 4,400 Pakistanis were killed in attacks - mainly suicide - since the summer of 2007 when, in unison with bin Laden himself, the Pakistani Taliban have declared jihad on Islamabad to support the "war against terrorism "in Washington.
Since late 2001, the Pakistani army has lost thousands of men in battle against the Taliban and Afghan and foreign fighters of Al Qaeda in the tribal areas. But Washington, its main funder, constantly press Islamabad to do more. Since a U.S. commandos killed May 2 Osama bin Laden in a garrison town of northern Pakistan, the U.S.
is putting pressure on the government and the army to launch an offensive in the tribal district of North Waziristan, the main stronghold of Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network. Pakistani media buzzing with rumors of an imminent offensive, determined by them under pressure from Washington, but the army and the government said in a tense context of relations with the United States, it will take place if it is "in the national interest" and when they decide.
The Pakistani Taliban, meanwhile, vowed to avenge bin Laden.
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