ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The Pakistani Taliban allegedly launched a fundraising effort in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to prepare for a long fight with government forces.

Sources to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper said the Pakistani Taliban was asking local tribal members to donate cash in anticipation of a "long offensive" in South Waziristan.

Villagers report that the Taliban collect tens of thousands of U.S. dollars each year from the Sikh community alone, while ramping up their kidnapping-for-ransom campaign to secure more funds.

Pakistani officials launched a major military operation into the tribal regions during the weekend, claiming to have killed more than 18 insurgents in the past 24 hours, the Associated Press of Pakistan reports.

Taliban officials claim equal success.

The Pakistani Taliban vowed revenge for the death of leader Baitullah Mehsud, killed in a U.S. airstrike in August. The fundamentalist militant group claimed responsibility for a series of high-profile raids in recent weeks, including an attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and attacks on the U.N. World Food Program offices in Islamabad.

U.S. President Barack Obama signed a massive financial assistance package for Pakistan that includes funds to help with the fight against al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents.

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