Separately, the US military chief has said that a relationship with Pakistan is ‘absolutely critical’ to the United States and that’s why he has invested so much in grooming up this relationship.
“We don’t talk about the source of the explosions in western Pakistan. But certainly, many commentators have noted the considerable pressure that has been brought on the leadership, in particular, of Al Qaeda and also of some other important extremist elements there,” Gen David Petraeus told CNN when asked if the United States had increased drone attacks inside Fata after the CIA blast.
Seven CIA employees were killed and six wounded in Khost on Dec 30 when a suicide bomber associated with Al Qaeda exploded a bomb inside a US base.
US officials later identified the bomber as Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, a Jordanian national with links to both Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Gen Petraeus was also asked to comment on a video which showed the Jordanian double agent sitting beside the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud.
Balawi claims that he blew himself up in the CIA base to avenge the death of former TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack.
“Well, first of all, Baitullah Mehsud and his organisation carried out horrific attacks inside Pakistan, and that is what I think should concern the Pakistanis, as certainly it concerns us,” said Gen Petraeus.
Replying to a question, he said: “There will be loss of innocent life in war, but we have got to make sure that we minimise it and that we try to avoid it just about at all costs.”
In an interview to CNN, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said the campaign in South Waziristan was very challenging and forced Gen Kayani to shift his forces over there.
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