PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A suicide car bombing targeting Pakistani troops killed 41 people Monday, the fourth grisly militant attack in just over a week, as the Taliban pledged to mobilize fighters across the country for more strikes.
- The Taliban also claimed responsibility for the 22-hour weekend attack on the nation's heavily fortified army headquarters, saying a cell from Pakistan's most populous province carried out the raid.
- The claim that a Punjabi faction of the Pakistani Taliban was behind that strike is a sign the insurgents have forged links with militants outside their main strongholds in Pashtun areas close to the Afghan border, increasing their potency.
- The army, however, maintained it was launched from South Waziristan — where the military is preparing for what will likely be a long and bloody offensive against the major base of the Taliban along the frontier.
- In advance of that offensive, the militants have launched a wave of attacks across the country.
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