US not sure about Pak's sudden change in attitude towards 'refugee' Taliban leaders

Washington, Feb.28 (ANI): While Pakistani security forces have nabbed several top Taliban commanders hiding inside the country, including the Afghan Taliban's second in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, US officials are uncertain about what exactly has prompted Islamabad to romp up action against these 'refugee' extremist leaders.

"We are not sure what these recent detentions have meant. There's been multiple (detentions) over the years, but it's been inconsistent," a senior official in the Obama Administration said.

Referring to Pakistani intelligence' support to the Afghan in the past, the official said though Islamabad has taken some action against the militant groups in the recent past, it is still not willing to take on all the elements simultaneously.

"We've had an ongoing discussion with Pakisan about the nature of the enemy itself," The Politico quoted the official, as saying.

"It's not something we've always agreed on. The Pakistanis have by way of their actions demonstrated that they are wiling to take the fight to elements of that network, but not to all elements at the same time, and not on our desired time. That's understandable," he added.

Commenting on the NATO's offensive in Afghanistan's Marja, the official said the operation is only a 'prelude' to a massive one to regain control over the Taliban capital Kandahar later in the year.

"The way to look at the Marja operation is that it is a tactical prelude to a larger, more comprehensive operations later this year in Kandahar city," he said.

"U.S., NATO forces in Afghanistan are pursuing a four-part strategy in Marja 'clear, hold, build, and transfer.' We're somewhere between clear and hold in Marja," he added.

Referring to Friday's suicide attack in Kabul, which was primarily targeted at the Indians, the official said it was in reaction to the resumption of the stalled India-Pakistan talks.

"Two steps forward, one step back, that is typical, and what we ought to expect," he pointed out. (ANI)