This could have been a helluva lot worse than it was as the Taliban threw a three pronged attack at a Pakistani military camp guarding the Kohat Tunnel. Here's some of the details from The Long War Journal:
Now, take a look at this section from the article:
It's been documented how the flow of foreign jihadists into Pakistan has increased significantly and it's my conjecture that there are a TON of al Qaeda who have left Iraq that are now in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. With that said, it is apparent, to me anyway, that al Qaeda has certainly influenced the Taliban in their attack strategy. You can see above how Bill Roggio has put these two together. Triple bombings are a trademark of al Qaeda and what this means to the Pakistanis and the Afghans is that when you couple the tenacity and boldness of the Taliban with the pinpoint explosives expertise of al Qaeda, you have yourself big trouble.
Which begs the question...at what point in time will the Pakistani government understand that it just cannot handle this onslaught on its own? At what point will they suck it up and invite NATO over the border to finally start a clean up of these dredges?
I would say that if the Pakistanis wait until the swarm of Taliban and al Qaeda start moving south, it's going to be way too late.
Three suicide vehicles were used in the attack, Geo TV reported. The first bomber attempted to breach the main gate of the complex but was stopped just outside the gate after troops opened fire on the truck, causing the vehicle to explode just outside the camp.
Casualties were sustained in the first explosion. Five civilians were killed and 37 Pakistani paramilitary troops were wounded. The chief of security for the tunnel was among those wounded.
The second suicide bomber detonated his explosives after hitting the camp wall. The third suicide bomber left his vehicle at the main gate and ran away. The Taliban also destroyed two bridges on the Indus Highway, severing traffic between Peshawar and points south.
Now, take a look at this section from the article:
The attack resembles past attempts by al Qaeda in Iraq on US and Iraqi military bases. An initial suicide bomber would be used to breach a wall or main gate, and the follow-on vehicles would attempt target key points inside the complex, such as headquarters or barracks to inflict maximum casualties.
It's been documented how the flow of foreign jihadists into Pakistan has increased significantly and it's my conjecture that there are a TON of al Qaeda who have left Iraq that are now in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. With that said, it is apparent, to me anyway, that al Qaeda has certainly influenced the Taliban in their attack strategy. You can see above how Bill Roggio has put these two together. Triple bombings are a trademark of al Qaeda and what this means to the Pakistanis and the Afghans is that when you couple the tenacity and boldness of the Taliban with the pinpoint explosives expertise of al Qaeda, you have yourself big trouble.
Which begs the question...at what point in time will the Pakistani government understand that it just cannot handle this onslaught on its own? At what point will they suck it up and invite NATO over the border to finally start a clean up of these dredges?
I would say that if the Pakistanis wait until the swarm of Taliban and al Qaeda start moving south, it's going to be way too late.
Pakistani forces thwart triple suicide bombing attack
The Taliban likely had two goals for today's strike. First, the Taliban hoped to inflict mass casualties on Pakistani security forces. Second, the attack was likely part of a bid to retake control of the strategic tunnel, a vital link on the Indus Highway that connects Peshawar to the southern tribal agencies and settled districts.
The Pakistani military and the Taliban have fought intense battles in Orakzai and neighboring Kohat this year in an effort to maintain control of the strategic tunnel. Pitched battles were fought in the city of Darra Adam Khel and at the Kohat Tunnel in January.
The fighting began after Taliban forces hijacked a military convoy in Darra Adam Khel and seized weapons destined for a military operation in South Waziristan in late January. Clashes ensued as the Pakistani military moved forces into the region to battle the Taliban, but the military backed down and quickly formed a “peace jirga” to negotiate with the Taliban.
The Taliban responded by taking control of the Kohat Tunnel. The Taliban kidnapped more than 50 paramilitary troops from the Frontier Corps during the fighting at the Kohat Tunnel. Several soldiers and paramilitaries were beheaded and mutilated. The government retook the Kohat Tunnel after days of fierce fighting, but not before the Taliban damaged the tunnel during an attempt to destroy it.
On May 1, the Pakistani military pulled out from Darra Adam Khel. The Taliban immediately re-emerged and began levying taxes on vehicles traveling on the Indus Highway. The Pakistani Army, backed by tanks, rolled back into Darra Adam Khel on May 11, and fighting ensued. The fighting shut down the Indus Highway.
The Taliban campaign continues
Today's attack is the ninth major strike in Pakistan since Aug. 12. Taliban bombers have struck in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Wah, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, and Bannu, killing more than 165 Pakistanis and wounding more than 220, according to numbers compiled by The Long War Journal.
The Kohat attack is the latest in a series of strikes against Pakistani military facilities. The largest attack targeted the Pakistani Ordnance Facility in Wah, just west of Islamabad. More than 70 Pakistanis were killed and 100 were wounded. Yesterday, six policemen and three civilians were killed in an improvised explosive device attack in Bannu.
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