Taliban pledges cease-fire in NW Pakistan area

[unhappycamper]

Taliban pledges cease-fire in NW Pakistan area
By Habib Khan - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 23, 2009 17:37:15 EST

KHAR, Pakistan — A Taliban commander announced a unilateral cease-fire Monday in a northwestern Pakistan region where the military says it has killed around 1,500 militants in an ongoing offensive.

The military was not available for comment on the Taliban’s move in Bajur region, which lies next to Afghanistan.

The announcement follows the introduction of an already week-old cease-fire between the government and militants in the Swat Valley, another northwestern region, in support of a peace process there.

The U.S. and other Western governments have criticized the Swat truce and negotiations, saying they could create a safe haven for al-Qaida and Taliban in the region.

Unlike in Swat, the Taliban in Bajur had been losing ground in recent months, most analysts say.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_taliban_pakistan_022309/%2e