The Mehsud tribes are some of the fiercest militant fighters and Islamist gangs in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The Pakistani army has vowed to attack the lairs of the Mehsud militants and crush them. At the behest of the United States and the West who have held Pakistan primarily responsible in solving its insurgency problem, in exchange for massive military aid, Pakistan is preparing to launch its fresh attack on terrorism. Its latest, and possibly biggest, anti-insurgency campaign will be conducted in South Waziristan, a jihadist haven and ‘long the most hostile of Pakistan’s seven Federally Administered Tribal Areas.’ Both army offensives and peace deals in the past have not been successful in neutralizing the Mehsuds.

The planned ground attack on the Mehsud militants is met with some grave difficulties: the deathly terrain in these Pakistani hinterlands, an expectedly harsh winter coming up, and the Mehsud Taliban in top fighting form and raring to avenge the death in August by an American drone of their leader, Baitullah Mehsud.

Prepping up for the upcoming major military offensive into South Waziristan for months, the Pakistani military has positioned two divisions comprised of approximately 28,000 troops for the attack. This huge and heavy force will even be augmented by paramilitary forces and local tribal militias loyal to Islamabad.

As several blasts have been rocking Pakistan over the last few days and killing dozens of people, Pakistan braces itself for a full-scale war with the most difficult of the Taliban.

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Via Economist.com