June 19, 2007:
Along the Afghan border in Pakistan, the army is patrolling less, and
Taliban terrorists are more active, trying to impose lifestyle restrictions
throughout the region. This includes keeping women out of the workforce
(Pakistan, as a while, has the lowest labor force participation rate, under 20
percent, in Asia for women), no videos or music and compulsory religions
services attendance. The government,
which at present is a military dictatorship, does not want to offend its
Islamic conservative supporters by cracking down on the Taliban activity along
its border with Afghanistan. These radicals are not tolerated elsewhere in
Pakistan, however.
June 18, 2007: In Kashmir, Indian troops killed four terrorists (including a
senior Islamic terrorist leader), and continued to wear down the few remaining
terrorist groups in the area. Indian officials declared that there was no
evidence of al Qaeda groups in Kashmir. The Islamic radicals were all either
local Moslems, or men from Pakistan. About half the 80,000 Indian troops in
Kashmir are guarding the Pakistan border, while another 25,000 guard military
installations, and 25,000 patrol the interior, looking for terrorist camps and
safe houses. In northwest Pakistan, a
roadside bomb was used in an attempt to kill a government official.
June 17, 2007:
In northeastern India, the army launched a large operation against
tribal separatist camps in the hills. Several rebels were killed, including a
senior leader.
June 14, 2007:
In Baluchistan (southwest
Pakistan), tribal separatists ambushed an army vehicle and killed nine soldiers
and civilians.
June 13, 2007:
Maoists in Chhattisgarh, the Indian state with the most Maoist activity,
proclaimed that they have lost 500 of their people in the last two years. About
half the districts in Chhattisgarh have
active Maoist gunmen and political organizers. The Maoists