Predators continue to prowl North Waziristan skies

March 20, 2011 12:11 PM ETBy Bill Roggio Despite the public protests by top Pakistani political leaders and General Kayani over last Thursday's US Predator strike that killed more than 30 (or 40 depending on which report you reference) people in North Waziristan, and vague threats to shoot the aircraft down, the unmanned hunter-killers continue to fly over the tribal agency. Dawn reports: Five to eight drones were seen flying at high altitude over different areas of the region where an unmanned aircraft attacked a tribal...

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Shabaab recruits 'underage children to fight for us

By BILL ROGGIOMarch 20, 2011 8:01 PM It isn't every day that you get a terrorist leader to freely admit what an awful human he really is. Late last week, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, a Shabaab commander and Specially Designated Global Terrorist with links to al Qaeda, proudly told how his organization recruits children to wage jihad. From Garowe: "We recruit underage children to fight for us, the children are ready to die for their country and religion" said Sheikh Aweys while addressing people in a mosque at Elasha Biyaha camps...

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Pakistan ready for peace with the Taliban?

This report from The Express Tribune on the Pakistani government opening negotiations with the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan is the first I've seen in the press. I've heard rumors of this from US military and non-military intelligence officials, and it does seem to fit with other related news reports. Pakistan has started peace talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other militant groups across the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), in anticipation of early withdrawal of Nato troops from Afghanistan,...

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