"What we've asked for is that the Haqqanis, yes they've been displaced, yes they've been disrupted, but that they not be allowed to regroup and resettle back into those historical areas," said Jeffrey Eggers from the White House's National Security Council (NSC), speaking at a security forum in Colorado.
No one from the Haqqani network has been reported killed, however, since the offensive began in June in the remote region of North Waziristan.
The US has long pressed for action against the Haqqanis. Islamabad has said it would target any militants, including the Haqqanis, as they proceed with the military operation.
Pakistan's envoy to Washington Jalil Abbas Jilani, sitting alongside Eggers and others at the event, acknowledged that Haqqani fighters almost certainly fled the region ahead of the military operation because it was pre-announced.
But Jilani also urged more to be done across the border in Afghanistan to deal with any militants who may have fled there.
"We are having good cooperation but I think something more is required to be done in order to make sure that the successes... are conclusive," Jilani said.
John Allen, the retired four-star general who led US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, voiced skepticism about Islamabad's past willingness to go after the Haqqanis, even as he acknowledged the opportunity presented by the ongoing offensive.
US lawmakers warn that Pakistan will have to crackdown on the Haqqanis or lose millions in US military aid.
"What matters now is how this continues and whether or not the Haqqanis are afforded a sanctuary to return to when the operation gets into its terminal phase," said Eggers, the senior director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the NSC.
COMMENTS (17)
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How can Pakistan take action against the Haqqani tribe, which is one of the largest Pashtoon tribes in the region?
@Shuaib Bhat: It is like cursing a donor distributing aid outside a mosque that had it been not you, I would have earning my own money. It is all your doing Sir. Inflicting India with a thousand cut philosophy led you to prepare militants into jihadis. Initial success prompted you to go in a big way in Afghanistan. No investment was flowing into Pakistan in such circumstances. Your politicians and Generals have only earned money from this situation.
why Pakistan is unable to tell US of A 'do not let Afghanistan make our western borders any more unsafe and unfriendly as our eastern borders already are', USA is not a friend, Pakistan should seek friends elsewhere. As if existence of an enemy friend Iran in the west is not enough that we give up the last hope to have a friendly Afghanistan, both the presidential candidates in Afghan election are sworn enemies of Pakistan, Pakistan cannot in any interest of its own give up haqqanis until we have a friendly regime in Afghanistan. It is like asking USA to let go of israel and let hamas capture entire Palestinian state including israel
@Usman: Wow, you somehow neglected to tell all of us just how the US "actively" supports the TTP and ANA!! Also, a "company" of soldiers (around 200 troopers) appears to be just a bit inadequate to "seal" the border in NWA!
To Haqqani leaders are in safe housed just like OBL and his harem was. Most of the high value targets are still not found and Haqqanis are no different.
Pakistan shall abide by the instructions of re-settlement but what can US do if Pakistan relocate them in the safe havens ?
First American Embassy cluser in Libya! Is this not the country about which Mr Obama boasted about that one billion dollar without any boots on ground enabled the administartion to undertake regime change? Afghanistan is the next on the list!
Rex Minor
"Pakistan’s envoy to Washington Jalil Abbas Jilani, sitting alongside Eggers and others at the event, acknowledged that Haqqani fighters almost certainly fled the region ahead of the military operation because it was pre-announced"
That is ISPR euphemism for saying they have been moved by the army to safe locations in advance.
"“What we’ve asked for is that the Haqqanis, yes they’ve been displaced, yes they’ve been disrupted, but that they not be allowed to regroup and resettle back into those historical areas,”" "No one from the Haqqani network has been reported killed, however, since the offensive began in June in the remote region of North Waziristan."
The Haaqqanis were given enough advanced notice and moved to safe houses before the operation began, ala Osama bin Laden. The Americans mush be real dumb to think that the Pakistani military would target the "good" Haqqanis.
The well-proven and well-used double game continues.
No warning is gonna work until you give Pakistan her due role against India in Afghanistan. We have invested billions of dollars, millions of personnel and decades of time in keeping India out of Afghanistan. You have to realize it if you really mean Pakistan to eradicate the true destructors. if we act against the Haqqanis, then against your billions, we will have to spend trillions on securing the border with Afghanistan .
@nizamuddin khan: The question mark is not on our honesty but on the US's. Haqqanis have not harmed Pakistan, still Pakistan is going after them in the interest of regional peace. However, the US has no interest in regional peace, and actively support the TTP and ANA.
So be honest with you the $800 million - $1.2 billion costs us more than we get. We have lost $ billions in investment, in the way our nation is percieved worldwide and we've lost an incentive to stand on our own feet! I hope we lose ALL our aid and we HAVE to stand on our feet.
No one from the Haqqani network has been reported killed, however, since the offensive began in June in the remote region of North Waziristan. . Says it all. The largest/feared terrorist organization in N Waziristan and Pakistan soldiers couldn't find them? Duplicity has become the norm in Pakistan - maybe you think the rest of the World is just dumb? Either grow a backbone and tell the truth or remain quiet - World might respect that.
Delaying military operation for over many years and pre-announcing operation has only helped the terrorist groups. The best time was to take military operation on the terrorists was immediately after US took out Osama Bin Ladin. Alas! Pakistan's military made the wrong decision and went on protecting the terrorists and delaying military operation. Gen. Kayani who got a 3 year extension on the pretext that he is the only many who can handle the situation is to be blamed for it. Imran Khan shares the blame equally with him. Another chance came when PML-N got elected but Ch. Nissar and others delayed military operation. Now, the civilians are facing more problems and most of the terrorists have moved out to safer locations. Pakistan's army is one of a kind in the world that has been protecting those who were killing them and challenging the country's constitution and existence. However, Gen. Raheel Sharif is doing a great job and he has a difficult task clearing the mess that Kayani had handed over to him.
How hard is it to send a company out of the 30,000 US soldiers in Afghanistan to the border in NWA and seal it? But of course that would go against US's objective of supporting the TTP and ANA in stirring trouble in Pakistan. Take care of TTP first in Afghanistan, then come to us with your demands.
They are probably sitting there along with the IDPs and receiving Ramzan packages.
The game of duplicity that we play. Now that we have the opportunity to fix our credibility we are going to let that go...provide protection to those who we want as strategic assets and go after TTP since they are openly waging an attack on the army/airforce installations.
Why do we continue to rely on dishonesty to gain leverage? Why do we have such a difficult time sincerely going after the Haqqani leadership and either arresting or killing them once and for all? What is the perceived weakness that we are trying to compensate for by protecting some elements that are indeed rogue...arn't they?