‘Pentagon closely monitoring Pakistan situation’

The Defense Department is closely monitoring the situation in Pakistan, following a series of terrorist attacks there that have killed or injured scores of innocent people, a senior Pentagon spokesman said. Responding to a reporter’s query, Bryan Whitman said he could not provide an analysis of the attacks in Pakistan at this time. However, he said, senior US officials are alert to the recent violence in Pakistan and ‘are watching the situation closely.’ Such terrorist violence is troublesome and tragic because innocent civilians are dying, he said, according to Pentagon Press service. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s government remains resolved to fight and defeat the terrorists, Whitman said, adding that Pentagon officials are ‘encouraged by their efforts.’ The latest attack occurred Friday when a suicide car bomber attacked a police station in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to news reports. The explosion reportedly killed 13 people, including three police, a woman and a child, and injured 10 other people. On Thursday, militants attacked three Pakistani security agency buildings, including the Federal Investigation Agency headquarters and two police training centers, in Lahore. A suicide car bomber also struck in the northwestern city of Kohat, and there was a reported bombing in Quetta in the southwest of the country. News reports cited at least 30 Pakistani police and civilian deaths as a result of the attacks. The Pakistani Taliban reportedly took responsibility for Thursday’s attacks on the Federal Investigation Agency and police training centers in Lahore. The US State Department expressed solidarity with Pakistan on Thursday, pledged continued support for the country. The US Embassy in Islamabad also issued the condemnation of the attacks An Oct 11 attack on Pakistan’s army headquarters in Rawalpindi outside Islamabad reportedly killed 11 Pakistani troops and three civilians. Nine terrorists were reportedly killed. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani following the Rawalpindi attack to express personal condolences for those killed, while emphasizing continued US support, according to Pentagon Press service.