The New York Times reports more than seventy US military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to help its armed forces battle al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The Americans are mostly Army Special Forces soldiers who are training Pakistani army and paramilitary troops, providing them with intelligence and advising on combat tactics. The CIA is also providing intelligence to a new Pakistani commando unit that has been used to kill and capture wanted militants. This comes as Pakistan has announced new plans to arm villagers in the North West Frontier province to fight against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports the Obama administration has expanded the covert war run by the CIA inside Pakistan. Last week, a CIA drone targeted Baitullah Mehsud for the first time. Mehsud was identified last year as the man who had orchestrated the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto.