Pakistan’s government says today that it will be launching another massive military offensive, this time against the Orakzai Agency, beginning next week.

Major General Tariq Khan says the forces will do battle with an estimated 1,000 Taliban in the region, and will “defeat Taliban everywhere in the tribal areas” eventually.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani hinted at the Orakzai invasion in December, as the South Waziristan invasion netted few leaders of note and Orakzai locals reported a massive influx of Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members moving in from neighboring Waziristan.

The Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), which neighbors Orakzai, has announced it will renew registration of refugees from the region, as well as the Kurram Agency, which the government has declared a “conflict zone.”

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