December 3, 2007: In Pakistan's tribal areas,
troops retaliated for the recent roadside bomb attack, by firing on compounds
used by rebellious tribesmen. This killed six people, and kept the feud between
the tribesmen and security forces going. The tribes can't stop the army, but
the generals are reluctant to push too hard. Up to twenty percent of soldiers
and police sympathize with the Islamic conservative tribesmen. There have been
some desertions in the security forces, and a few military personnel have
been arrested for participating in violence against "enemies of
Islam" (like shops that sell videos).
Indian police issued an alert that Islamic
terrorists were believed planning bombing attacks in Indian cities, attacks
that could occur soon.
December 2, 2007: Pakistan's Islamic
religious political parties, which control about ten percent of the seats in
parliament, are now divided into two factions. The religious parties have
failed to attract more popular support, mainly because their attempt to impose
religious law, and constant squabbling, turned off most Pakistanis, and split
the religious parties as well.
In eastern India, Maoist rebels blew up railroad
track, temporarily cutting a major rail link.
November 29, 2007: In Pakistan's tribal territories
along the Afghan border, a roadside bomb killed five soldiers.
November 28, 2007: Pakistan's president
Musharraf has resigned as head of the army, and now serves just as the civilian
president.
November 27, 2007: Security forces in Pakistan's
Swat valley have defeated a Taliban uprising. In the last week, over 250
Taliban have been killed, although about a thousand armed men are still in the
valley. Troops have taken most of the high ground and shut down, apparently via
jamming, the illegal FM radio station run by a radical religious leader.
