Islamabad: The Taliban has declared an end to the peace deal it signed with the Pakistani government last year due to the ongoing military operation in northwest Pakistan.
The Taliban made the announcement on Monday after a meeting of the group's local shura (council) in North Waziristan, the website of the Dawn newspaper said.
The group signed a nine-point agreement with the government to restore peace in the area on February 17 2008.
Taliban spokesperson Ahmadullah Ahmadi told reporters over the phone that the shura had decided to continue its offensive against the Pakistani security forces till the government stops the drone attacks and withdraws its troops from the North Waziristan region.
"We will attack forces everywhere in Waziristan unless the government fulfils these two demands,' he said, adding that Islamabad allowed the US to carry out the drone attacks.
The government, however, claims that the peace deal was signed with the tribal elders and not with the Taliban.
Meanwhile, officials said at least 27 soldiers were killed on Sunday after militants attacked a military convoy in the Wacha Bibi area, some 35 km west of Miranshah in North Waziristan.
Following that attack, security forces pounded the suspected militants' hideout in the area in which at least five civilians were killed Monday.
The security forces have also killed two Taliban commanders and captured five others in a separate operation in Dera Ismail Khan in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) on Monday.
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