By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary f State Richard Boucher said on Wednesday that the United States welcomes the military operation against militants in Khyber tribal agency.
The Pakistani government on Saturday started a military operation against three extremist groups in northwestern Pakistan’s Khyber tribal agency just adjacent to Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province.
It marks the first major operation since the new government took power in March. The operation entered the fifth day on Wednesday.
“The basic issue of people is safety from extremism,” Boucher told media in Islamabad. Boucher arrived in Islamabad on Monday to hold talks with the government.
The new Pakistani government had been engaging in negotiations with militants in northwestern tribal area since taking office.