Pakistan Army Chief Orders Precision Strikes in Swat

[Coventina]

Source: Bloomberg

May 13 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said he has told troops to ensure minimum collateral damage by resorting to “precision strikes” in the operation against Taliban militants in the country’s northwest.

“Consequent to any military operation in populated areas, collateral damage and refugee issues are always a natural outcome,” according to a statement released today in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, citing Kayani.

The United Nations yesterday said it had so far registered more than 500,000 people who have fled the fighting in the Swat valley and neighboring districts since May 2. Of these, about 73,000 are staying in temporary camps, while the others are with relatives or friends, it said.

(snip)

The military said yesterday it had killed 751 militants since the operation began on April 26 against insurgents who reneged on a peace accord and advanced toward the capital.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=ahhR6P781XyU&refer=asia

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I posted this quote before, but it bears repeating:

"Take account of the difficult while it is still easy,
And deal with the large while it is still tiny."

Dao De Jing