Al Qaeda Disrupted in Pakistani Tribal Areas, General Says

The commander of American-led forces in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Barno, said Monday that Pakistan had successfully disrupted the Qaeda network in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and had significantly affected its ability to support a suspected Taliban insurgency across the border in Afghanistan. In an interview in Kabul, the Afghan capital, General Barno commended the Pakistani military for its “bold moves” against foreign fighters in the Pakistani tribal area of South Waziristan in March. He said it had so far prevented an anticipated offensive this spring in Afghanistan by the remnants of Taliban fighters who are suspected to have taken refuge across the Pakistani border in tribal areas. “There have been some tough fights, so I give them great credit for making some bold moves over there,” he said. The Pakistani operation since January has been larger and more intense than the previous level of enforcement in the border area, he said. He added that it appears to have disrupted what had been a very stable area for Al Qaeda’s foreign fighters and senior leadership, where they are believed to have lived and operated for two years. Full Story