Pakistan bombs Taliban bases in build-up to ground attack
Pakistani planes bombed Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan near the Afghan border today as the government said a ground offensive against insurgents was "imminent".
The strike came hours after commandos stormed an office building and rescued 39 people taken hostage after an attack on the army's headquarters.
A Pakistani intelligence official said: "The jets hit and destroyed two of their hideouts in Makeen and Ladha and we have a total of about 16 militants killed." Taliban fighters linked to al Qaeda have launched numerous attacks in Pakistan on government and foreign targets over the past couple of years, killing hundreds of people.
Interior minister Rehman Malik said an attack in South Waziristan had been approved by the government: "There is no mercy for them. They have no room in Pakistan, I promise you."
Mr Malik blamed the attack on the army base in Rawalpindi, in which 19 died, on the Taliban and al Qaeda, whose strongholds are in the area. One militant, thought to be the group's leader, was arrested.
The army has been preparing for an operation in the region since it cleared the Swat valley of militants last month.
It came as US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the special relationship between America and Britain was still strong.
She underlined the close links between the countries as she met Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband in London to talk about US strategy for Afghanistan.
