Afghans, NATO Launch 'New Push Against Haqqanis'

Afghan security forces and their NATO allies have launched a new push against the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network along the troubled Pakistani border, senior defence officials said today.

The United States recently accused the Haqqanis of orchestrating a 19-hour siege of the US embassy in Kabul, a September truck bombing on a NATO outpost that wounded 77 Americans and a June attack on Kabul’s InterContinental hotel.

US commanders say the network is their most potent enemy in eastern Afghanistan and increasingly capable of launching high-profile attacks in Kabul. It is an Afghan Taliban faction, loyal to Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Afghan Defence minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said operation “Knife Edge” was launched two days ago, while a senior defence ministry official said it was “largely against the Haqqani network”.

From: http://ping.fm/s41YU