Pakistan’s military has launched a major and long-delayed offensive against the Pakistani Taliban and allied foreign jihadists who have for years sheltered in the restive North Waziristan region.  The operation was likely planned a while ago, but took on new urgency following the Taliban’s deadly attack on Karachi airport.

“Using North Waziristan as a base, these terrorists had waged a war against the state of Pakistan,” read a statement from the military.  “Our valiant armed forces have been tasked to eliminate these terrorists regardless of hue and color, along with their sanctuaries.”

The government evacuated the families of regional officials, and residents are following close behind, as many as 70,000 on the move.  That followed a massive pounding administered via air strike.  Officials say more than 100 militants were killed in that phase of the operation – they were mostly foreigners from Uzbekistan, where an allied jihadist group had claimed co-credit for the Taliban’s attack on Karachi airport.