India-Pakistan: July 17, 2005

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In eastern India, Maoist rebels raided a village, killing seven civilians.  This, and similar attacks, prompted the state government to offer to arm villagers in areas where Maoists were using using such raids to terrorize civilians into supporting the Maoists. 

In western Pakistan, along the Afghan border, tribesmen held funerals for 24 of their own who were killed yesterday when they crossed the border and opened fire on American troops. The pro-Taliban Pushtun tribes on the Pakistani side of the border are a steady source of gunmen willing to enter Afghanistan and fight for the restoration of Taliban rule. In Pakistan, the Pushtun tribes have a lot more autonomy than they do in Afghanistan.