Refugees From Region in Pakistan Trickling Home

[Coventina]

Source: New York Times

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Hundreds who fled a military offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley, a fraction of those displaced, began trickling back home on Monday after the Pakistani government announced the first stage of a three-phase plan to return them.

Elsewhere, at least nine people, including seven children, were killed when a blast ripped through a house in a farming village in the southern part of Punjab Province, police officials said.

Nearly two million refugees have been displaced by the fighting in Swat, which began after a February peace deal that had handed the Taliban effective control of the district collapsed, and a military campaign to uproot the militants began. The refugees, tens of thousands of whom have spent months in government camps, are eager to return home, but many have expressed trepidation about their safety.

In the first phase of the return, government-provided buses and trucks began shuttling hundreds of families to Swat on Monday from three camps in the Mardan and Charsadda districts south of Swat.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/asia/14pstan.html?hp

[Flaneur]

1. The Taliban originally emerged from Pakistani refugee camps.

I wonder what's cooking in the camps these days?

The Pakistani government may have to deal with some unintended consequences of it's all-out offensive in Swat.

[Bragi]

2. This offensive was just a PR shell game

The Pak offensive was a shell game intended to please Obama.

The Pak army moved into the Swat valley, the population moved out, and most of the Taliban went on vacation.

Now the Pak army will withdraw, and some of the population will move back, along with the Taliban, who will resume effective control of the area.

For his part, Obama will play along and pretend that some gains have been made.

In fact, no gains have been made.

Nothing good will come from this war.

- B

[demoleft]

3. here's some pics from the camp. Red Cross source.

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/pakistan-photos-260609