Refugees flee Pakistan Taliban controlled areas

Washington Times:

Thousands of residents are fleeing this northwestern Pakistani district in an exodus that belies government claims of success in its battle to drive out Taliban militants.

Since Tuesday, security forces have been on the offensive in the Buner district, about 60 miles from the capital, Islamabad, amid growing fears in the United States and other aid-supplying nations that the government had capitulated to Taliban fighters.

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Speaking to The Washington Times by telephone, a local journalist said Pakistani forces had control of Daggar, home to government offices, but little else outside the city.

"The situation is horrible. Bombings are going on across Buner. Dead bodies of people are laying on streets. Thousands of people are fleeing. Some women have even given birth to children while fleeing Buner," said the local journalist, who asked for anonymity for fear of his life.

This reporter managed to travel about 15 miles into the Buner district from the south and found truckloads of refugees heading the other way. Police stations in small villages along the way had been blown up.

"There are several bombs on this road. Taliban placed them and will blow them in case security forces try to enter the region through this road," said young two boys who gave their names as Nawaz and Shah.

As they spoke, huge explosions could be heard in the distance.

People packed into cars, pickup trucks and vans and headed south toward the neighboring Swabi district.

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This appears to be the grim reality for civilians in areas the Taliban is trying to dominate. It also reflects the failure of the army to protect the people as is required in counterinsurgency warfare. The primary failure of the Pakistan army in recent years has sprung from the governments illogical resistance to allowing US forces to train the army to fight the Taliban.

CNN has more on the refugee problems. The Pakistan government needs to turn this into a information operation against the Taliban. Note they are not fleeing toward Taliban controlled areas. They are voting with their feat against being ruled by the religious bigot despots. That is an important point that should be stressed as they try to build support for their resistance to Taliban aggression.