Raging militancy

FOLLOWING up the threat that it would take the fight to different parts of the country unless the authorities stopped their anti-militant operations in Swat and the tribal areas, the Tehrik-i-Taliban, Pakistan, has declared "an open war" and exploded a powerful bomb on Kohat Road, Peshawar, through a remote control device, targeting a PAF truck. The result: at least five personnel of the Pakistan Air Force and eight civilians lay dead, 18 others wounded, a big crater created in the bridge on which the truck was passing and renewed fear of more such attacks to come raised its head. In the meantime, not only the Pakistan security forces continue their armed action but also the US planes keep targeting suspected hideouts in the tribal region, both evoking strong resentment among the people and the TTP's riposte in the shape of acts of terrorism. On Tuesday, the gunship helicopters struck a site in Bajaur claiming the deaths of several persons that, according to unconfirmed reports, included senior Al-Qaeda commander Abu Saeed Al-Masri. And yesterday, Pentagon planes hit a site in South Waziristan, killing nine persons.