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Tag: Taliban

  • Malala condemns Pakistan terror attack

    Malala condemns Pakistan terror attack

    Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, has condemned the Tuesday morning attack on a military-run school (Army public school) in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.

    The Nobel Laurette, who expressed deep shock and disappointment at the level of terror targeted at school children, boldly disclosed that advocates like her would not be defeated by such acts of terrorism.

    “I am heartbroken by this senseless and cold blooded act of terror in Peshawar that is unfolding before us,” said Malala in a statement.

    Furthermore, she firmly promised: “I, along with millions of others around the world, mourn these children, my brothers and sisters, but we will never be defeated.”

    The attack was carried out by Taliban gunmen who stormed the school killing no fewer than 141 overwhelming children, teenagers in grades 1-10 and teachers, leaving about 182 others with various degrees of injuries.

    Officials describe the attack as the worst attack to hit the country in years.

    Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the assault and rushed to Peshawar to show his support for the victims.

    The horrific attack, carried out by a relatively small number of militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban, a Pakistani militant group trying to overthrow the government, also sent dozens of wounded flooding into local hospitals as terrified parents searched for their children.

    “My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now,” wailed one parent, Tahir Ali, as he came to the hospital to collect the body of his 14-year-old son Abdullah. “My son was my dream. My dream has been killed.”

    AFP quoted police officer Javed Khan as saying that the attack began in the morning hours, with about half a dozen gunmen entering the school and shooting at random. Army commandos quickly arrived at the scene and started exchanging fire with the gunmen, he said.

    Earlier information from the information minister for the province, Mushtaq Ghani, said 126 people were killed in the attack but about 22 more bodies were found during rescue operations. Most of the dead were students, children and teenagers from the school, Ghani said.

    Hospital officials said earlier that at least one teacher and a paramilitary soldier were among the dead.

    The prime minister vowed that the country would not be cowed by the violence and that the military would continue with an aggressive operation launched in June in the North Waziristan tribal area to rout militants. “The fight will continue. No one should have any doubt about it,” Sharif said.

    Taliban terror 1One of the wounded students, Abdullah Jamal, said that he was with a group of 8th, 9th and 10th graders who were getting first-aid instructions and training with a team of Pakistani army medics when the violence began for real.

    When the shooting started, Jamal, who was shot in the leg, said nobody knew what was going on in the first few seconds.

    “Then I saw children falling down who were crying and screaming. I also fell down. I learned later that I have got a bullet,” he said, speaking from his hospital bed.

    Another student, Amir Mateen, said they locked the door from the inside when they heard the shooting but gunmen blasted through the door anyway and started shooting.

    The school is located on the edge of a military cantonment in Peshawar, but the bulk of the students are civilian.

    There was conflicting information about how many attackers carried out the violence, but it was a relatively small number.

    Taliban spokesman Mohammed Khurasani claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to media, saying that six suicide bombers had carried out the attack in revenge for the killings of Taliban members at the hands of Pakistani authorities. But the chief minister said there were eight attackers, dressed in military uniforms.

    Although, one of the attackers blew himself up, others have been killed by security forces. Peshawar has been the target of frequent militant attacks in the past but has seen a relative lull recently.

    The assault has attracted a global attention as the United States offer condemnation of the attack.

     

  • Taliban expresses support for IS

    The Pakistani Taliban has expressed its support for Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq.

    In a statement marking the Muslim festival of Eid, the group appealed to Islamists there to unite against the “enemy” – the United States-led alliance.

    IS has taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq, but has also been battling al-Qaeda-linked rival militant groups.

    The Pakistani Taliban has been waging its own insurgency against the Islamabad government since 1997.

    Saturday’s statement was issued by the leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Maulana Fazlullah, sent by his spokesman.

    Addressing IS in Syria and Iraq, he said: “We are proud of your conquests against the enemies. We are with you in good and bad times.”

    “In these troubled days, we call on you to be patient and stay united as your enemies are now united against you. Forget rivalries.”

    The statement said the global Muslim community would “stand by you in these tough times and help with what we can.”

    The BBC reports there had been little evidence so far of an agreement between IS and the Pakistani Taliban.

  • Taliban asks international organisations to leave Pakistan

    Talibans on Monday warned international organiations to leave Pakistan or face further violence.

    The warning came a day after the Pakistani military announced Operation Zarb-e-Azb against local and foreign militants hiding in the North Waziristan tribal region on the Afghan border.

    The Taliban spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, said there was a state of war, adding, “therefore, all international investors, airlines and institutions should immediately suspend all relations with Pakistan and leave the country.”

    He said they would be responsible for any loss or harm to them if they fail to heed the warning.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there was no immediate reaction to the threat by the government in Islamabad.

    Military spokesman, Maj.-General Asim Bajwa, on Sunday announced the launch of the operation in North Waziristan.

    He said over 105 militants, mostly Uzbeks, had been killed by the army, and the area had been surrounded by troops.

    Bajwa said surrender points had been set up for militants who choose to give up their arms, while Pakistan had asked Afghanistan to seal its border with North Waziristan.

  • Deadly suicide bombing hits Kabul

    A suicide bomber has blown himself up close to a bus carrying soldiers in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing at least four people, official say.
    The BBC reports that the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack in the south-east of the city.
    They have stepped up their campaign ahead of the departure of NATO-led combat troops at the end of 2014.
    The latest attack is the third by the insurgents in Kabul in just over a week. On January 17, 21 people died in a gun and bomb attack on a restaurant.
    In Sunday’s attack, two soldiers on the bus and two civilians on the road died when the suicide bomber detonated his vest, a spokesman for the ministry of defence said.
    The BBC says government buses carrying security forces and workers to ministries in the capital are a common sight – and an easy target.
    Earlier this month, a spokesman told the BBC the militants are “confident of victory” over NATO-led forces and already control large areas of the country.

  • Pakistan jets bomb Taliban positions

    Pakistani military aircraft have bombed suspected Taliban positions in North Waziristan, following a wave of attacks against security forces, BBC reports.

    A military official said 25 militants had been killed in the air strikes in the tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

    On Sunday, at least 20 soldiers were killed in an ambush on an army convoy.

    The Pakistani Taliban has vowed to step up attacks after their leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a United States drone strike in November.

    The air strikes started at around 00:30 local time (19:30 GMT on Monday), an official told AFP news agency, adding that helicopter gunships also took part.

    An intelligence official in North Waziristan’s central town of Miranshah also told AFP that the air strikes were still going on and residents had had to flee.

    Two residents interviewed by the Associated Press news agency over the telephone said they slept in the open, fearing their homes would be hit.

    Some reports said there were civilian casualties, but this was impossible to verify as there is no independent media access to the area.

    Tuesday’s air assault comes after the military attacked militant targets in North Waziristan with artillery fire and helicopter gunships in December.

     

  • Deadly blast hits Pakistani market

    An explosion has ripped through a market in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, leaving at least 25 dead and dozens wounded, officials say.

    The explosion took place in the Kissa Khwani market, with shops and vehicles set alight.

    The blast comes a week after a double suicide bombing that killed at least 80 people at a church in the city.

    On Friday, at least 17 people were killed in the bombing of a bus carrying government employees near Peshawar.

    Peshawar, the main city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has been hit by numerous bomb and gun attacks blamed on Taliban insurgents in recent years.

    BBC reports that police suspected the explosion was caused by a car bomb.

    Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper quoted the health minister as saying that the main Peshawar police station may have been the main target.

    An emergency situation was declared at the Lady Reading Hospital as it received the injured, many of them badly burnt.

    Rising violence has hindered new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s overtures to end the insurgency through peace talks with the Taliban.

    Mr. Sharif is in New York attending the United Nations summit and is to meet Indian PM Manmohan Singh later on Sunday.

     

     

  • Pakistan frees top Taliban leader

    Pakistan has released its most senior Afghan Taliban detainee, the group’s co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, BBC reports.

    The move comes after persistent requests by the Afghan government which hopes it will help the peace process in the country.

    Mullah Baradar is one of the four men who founded the Taliban movement in Afghanistan in 1994.

    He became a linchpin of the insurgency after the Taliban were toppled by the United States-led invasion in 2001.

    He was captured in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2010.

    “Baradar has been released,” Omar Hamid of the Islamabad interior ministry told the news agency, AFP.

    BBC says Afghanistan’s government has been asking for his release throughout his three and a half years in custody.

    It is not clear where Mr. Baradar will travel to after his release. But he may go to a third country, possibly the United Arab Emirates.

     

  • Afghan Taliban attacks U.S consulate

    United States and Afghan forces have fought off an attack by Taliban insurgents on the America’s consulate in the western city of Herat.

    BBC reports that two Afghan police and one security guard were killed in the dawn assault, along with seven attackers.

    The US consulate said its workers were safe.

    The Taliban said they carried out the attack, which began with a huge blast at the compound gates, sparking a gun battle near consulate buildings.

    Attacks continue despite the planned withdrawal of foreign troops in 2014.

    17 civilians, including women and children, were injured in the Herat attack.

    Herat sits close to the Iranian border on a vital trade route across southern Afghanistan and it has been relatively peaceful in recent years.

    The U.S consulate in Herat was opened just four years ago in a former five-star hotel.

     

     

  • ‘One child, one teacher….can change the world’ – Malala Yousafzai at UN

    ‘One child, one teacher….can change the world’ – Malala Yousafzai at UN

    Malala Yousazai, 16-year old Pakistani teen activist who was shot on the head on October 9, 2012, by Taliban gave an inspiring speech few days ago to the UN General Assembly. Her speech harps on forgiveness, girl child education, rights among others.

    Below is the full text of her speech

     

    Honourable UN Secretary General Mr Ban  Ki-moon, respected president of the General Assembly  Vuk Jeremic,  honourable UN envoy for global education  Mr. Gordon Brown, respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters: Assalamu alaikum.

    Today is it an honour for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honourable people is a great moment in my life and it is an honour for me that today I am wearing a shawl of the late Benazir Bhutto. I don’t know where to begin my speech. I don’t know what people would be expecting me to say, but first of all thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good-wish cards and gifts from all over the world.

    Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me. I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me to get better and recover my strength.

    I fully support UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and the respectful president of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic. I thank them for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action. Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing: Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.

    There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for their rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace, education and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard.

    Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.

    Dear friends, on 9 October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me.

    Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned from Mohamed, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

    This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father and from my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone.

    Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns. The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” It is true.

    The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. This is why they killed 14 innocent students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they kill female teachers. That is why they are blasting schools every day because they were and they are afraid of change and equality that we will bring to our society. And I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist: “Why are the Taliban against education?”He answered very simply by pointing to his book, he said: “A Talib doesn’t know what is written inside this book.”

    They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would point guns at people’s heads just for going to school. These terrorists are misusing the name of Islam for their own personal benefit. Pakistan is a peace-loving, democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. It is the duty and responsibility to get education for each child, that is what it says. Peace is a necessity for education. In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflicts stop children from going to schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many ways in many parts of the world.

    In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by extremism. Young girls have to do domestic child labour and are forced to get married at an early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems, faced by both men and women.

    Today, I am focusing on women’s rights and girls’ education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women activists asked men to stand up for their rights. But this time we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women’s rights, but I am focusing on women to be independent and fight for themselves. So dear sisters and brothers, now it’s time to speak up. So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favour of peace and prosperity. We call upon the world leaders that all of these deals must protect women and children’s rights. A deal that goes against the rights of women is unacceptable.

    We call upon all governments to ensure free, compulsory education all over the world for every child. We call upon all the governments to fight against terrorism and violence. To protect children from brutality and harm. We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of education opportunities for girls in the developing world. We call upon all communities to be tolerant, to reject prejudice based on caste, creed, sect, colour, religion or agenda to ensure freedom and equality for women so they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back. We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave, to embrace the strength within themselves and realise their full potential.

    Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child’s bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education. No one can stop us. We will speak up for our rights and we will bring change to our voice. We believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the whole world because we are all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.

    Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty and injustice and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of their schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright, peaceful future.

    So let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.

    Thank you.

  • Afghans reject Taliban peace moves

    Afghan officials have said the removal of the flag and nameplate from the Taliban’s Qatar office is not enough.

    Afghan peace negotiators say the office is meant only for peace talks and they are unhappy with Taliban statements.

    “It is a kind of Taliban establishment which we don’t want,” Muhammad Ismael Qasemyar, a member of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, told the BBC.

    The comments come after United States Secretary of State John Kerry rang President Hamid Karzai to defuse tensions.

    He told the president the Taliban’s office in Qatar was removing the flag, and that the sign designating the building as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would be replaced by one saying Bureau of Peace Talks.

    Mr. Qasemyar said negotiators objected to the statement made by the Taliban when the office had been established, which had indicated it would have relations with external bodies such as the United Nations.

    BBC says that the Qatar office means the Taliban are no longer only a fighting group, but have a political arm too.