6 killed in militant attack in Pakistan

At least six people were killed in militants’ recent attack on a camp of the security forces in the tribal region of South Waziristan. According to the Pakistani officials, four militants and two soldiers were killed and nine troops were wounded during the pro-Taliban militants’ attack on the camp located in Sararogha area, early on Tuesday, press tv reported. The militants of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have claimed responsibility for the attack. The latest incident came after Shahidullah Shahid, the senior pro-Taliban leader rejected Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s offer to hold peace talks on August 25, saying the militant group would not negotiate with the government in Islamabad. Shahid, the TTP spokesman, accused Nawaz Sharif of threatening to use force if the Taliban do not present at the negotiation table. On August 19, the Pakistani premier called for peace talks with the pro-Taliban militant groups in a televised speech, saying, "Like every Pakistani, I want to put an end to this bloodshed as soon as possible, whether this is done through mutual understanding at the negotiating table or the use of fully fledged state force". Sharif has been an advocate of peace talks with Taliban militants since his election campaign, which ended in his May victory. In May, a Taliban spokesman was quoted as saying that the militants might agree on a truce if Sharif and his party showed seriousness in holding the peace talks. However, the militants rejected their offer of peace talks to the Sharif’s government after their deputy chief Wali-ur-Rahman Mehsud was killed by a US terror drone. The pro-Taliban militants have conducted numerous deadly attacks against the security forces and the civilians. The militants have been able to spread their influence in different parts of the country, despite Pakistani army’s frequent assaults on them.