LAHORE: American forces stationed in Afghanistan are set to launch ground operations inside Pakistani tribal areas this month besides accelerating missile attacks from across the border, as a part of the US Centcom’s Pakistan-specific Operation ‘October Surprise’.
Diplomatic sources in Islamabad claim the ground operations are likely to be launched by the US Marines a few weeks before the US presidential election. The sources insisted that despite an assurance given recently to the Pakistan President Asif Zardari by his US counterpart in Washington, the tribal areas of the country would see more US attacks in the weeks to come. They maintained the US was not ready to pay any heed to the repeated requests by Islamabad to respect the sovereignty of Pakistan.
Although, Bush told the media last month in the presence of Zardari that he respects the sovereignty of Pakistan, his defence secretary Robert Gates has repeatedly said US troops would continue hitting Qaeda and Taliban targets inside Pakistan.
US forces carried out over half-a-dozen strikes inside Pakistan in September alone — including a ground operation in Angoor Adda — killing dozens and injuring hundreds.
