US helping Pak secure restive regions: Pentagon

A top US military official pointed out that Pakistan has lost over 1,000 soldiers in last five years in operations against militants.

A top US military official has underlined the role of American troops in helping Pakistan secure the country’s restive northwestern region where pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda militants have been active.

Major General Richard Sherlock, the Director for Operation Planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff office, said, “We’re working with them (Pakistan) to try to enable them to help secure their areas. We’re also working inside Afghanistan to enable ISAF and the Afghan forces to secure their areas”.

“What we’re trying to do is enable the Pakistani security forces, who have performed over a five-year period now, (perform) a number of operations against extremists inside Pakistan,” Major General Sherlock said.

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He pointed out that Pakistan has lost over 1,000 soldiers in the last five years in operations against militants inside the country.

“And they’ve also captured a number of very high-profile al-Qaeda leadership inside Pakistan including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,” Major General Sherlock said at a briefing.

The top Pentagon military official refused to elaborate what message the Defence Secretary Robert Gates was sending when he said that the US might take unilateral military action in the western regions of Pakistan.

“I can’t really add anything to the secretary’s comments. We do work with Pakistan every day through our senior defence representative in Pakistan,” Major General Sherlock said.

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“We work with them (Pakistan) to enable them and to help them conduct operations in Pakistan,” he said.

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