FATA Situation

[waraich66]

Brother Anwer,

Main objective of Drone attacks is to remind us that US/UK is still ruling Pakistan , they have given us limited independence what ever they wish they can do it inside Pakistan .US is actually challenging writ of Pakistan.



Thanks

 

[ejaz007]

Troops to reach Mamoond on Saturday

KHAR: The security forces will move from Khar to Mamoond tomorrow Saturday, Bajaur Agency Political Agent Safirullah Khan said on Thursday. Addressing a representative jirga of Mamoond tribes, Khan said the troops and local elders would jointly retaliate in case of any resistance. He said the government would extend the ceasefire in case the convoy reached its destination peacefully. staff report

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[ajpirzada]

gud to see thiings are improving...... if forces are allowed to go anywhere in FATA then i guess this war will be over, atleast in pakistan

 

[ejaz007]

Bill for FATA development tabled in US congress
Updated at: 0400 PST, Wednesday, March 04, 2009


WASHINGTON: A bill for the development in Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) in Pakistan has been tabled in US congress here on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

According to bill, reconstruction opportunity zones in FATA will be formed.

Sources said the bill was financed by Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, which was forwarded to Congress finance committee.

Senator Robert Gates and Senator Orrin Hatch are other co-sponsors from Democrates, sources added.

Former US president Bush made announcement to form reconstruction opportunity zones in Pakistan and Afghanistan tribal areas during.

Bill for FATA development tabled in US congress

 

[ejaz007]

Mehsud brought it on himself
* Washington Times report says Americans realise TTP chief is real threat
Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The US military, which avoided hitting Baitullah Mehsud’s forces in 2007 and 2008 when the Taliban leader waged a campaign of suicide bombings inside Pakistan has started sending unmanned aircraft to target them to pre-empt a Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan.

This, according to a Washington Times analysis, is a potentially significant development because territory controlled directly by Mehsud does not touch the Afghan border. Mehsud’s Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has recently formed an alliance with two other warlords and through them now has an inlet to Afghanistan.

It quoted Sarfaraz Khan, a professor at the University of Peshawar, as saying: “In order to stop unifying Taliban groups from launching massive attacks against NATO and in particular newly arriving US troops in Afghanistan, such attacks have become indispensable on Americans’ part.”

This Sunday, two missile suspected to have come from US drones killed up to 12 people and injured scores in a Mehsud stronghold in South Waziristan.

Other attacks on Mehsud followers have been reported in Kurram and Khyber Agencies. Asked last week whether Mehsud posed a threat to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, CIA director Leon Panetta said:

“Obviously ... we have identified those militants and terrorists that constitute a threat not only to US forces and to Americans and people in Afghanistan, but also those that constitute threats to the Pakistanis, and we are working with the Pakistanis to identify those who represent common threats to both of us in our efforts.”

Panetta added: “What is important is that we do everything possible to disrupt their leadership and to make sure that they are not able to come together in a way that makes them effective in terms of going after Americans.”

Both Pakistani and US officials have accused Mehsud of leading the December 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Mehsud denied involvement, and some PPP leaders later said they doubted he was responsible.

The apparent immunity of Mehsud and his forces from US drone attacks had prompted a spate of rumours that he was somehow involved with the Americans.

Syed Alam Mehsud, vice president of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party in the North West Frontier Province, said the missile strikes will have a profound impact.

“It seems the Americans have come to realise that after the unification of major Taliban groups and Baitullah being its head, the TTP chief is the real threat,” he said.

He added, “I think Baitullah’s turn has come. The reason is the anticipated spring offensive of Taliban to start in April and the arrival of thousands of additional [US troops] in Afghanistan’s south.”

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[ejaz007]

Troops kill 35 Taliban in Darra Adam Khel

PESHAWAR: Security forces backed by helicopter gunships killed at least 35 Taliban during a two-day operation in Darra Adam Khel in Kohat Frontier Region, ISPR sources said on Tuesday.
The security forces targeted Taliban in Buland, Mirali and Torchena areas. Three security personnel had also been injured in the operation, the sources said, adding that several Taliban hideouts had been destroyed during the operation, APP reported.
Meanwhile, local Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Muhammad has asked his comrades to suspend all their activities and to ensure the implementation of a peace agreement in letter and spirit in Bajaur Agency, online reported. agencies

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[S-2]

Ejaz007, this is really interesting.

Does anybody know what units were involved? Army? F.C.? Mix? Isn't this area the heart of Baitullah country? I see from google what appears to be a four lane highway northbound and an intersecting east-west highway which appears to cross a river.

Good find.

Reference your other article about Mehsud, I'd direct you here.

The Washington Times report is there. I think that they're wrong and indicate why at the link above.

Good find on the Darra Adam Khel attack. Thanks.

 

[ejaz007]

Dear S-2,

Regarding baitullah mahsud there have been some apprehensions in the mind of PA. They on more than one occassion provided his location to the Americans however they did not attack him. This made PA to believe that he is there man.

Now perhaps Americans have changed their policy after intense persuation by the GOP.

The river you are talking about might be the kabul river and the four lane road may be the Kohat tunnel. This is a vital link between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The attack was I believe by the FC supported by army using gunships.

 

[S-2]

Regarding baitullah mahsud there have been some apprehensions in the mind of PA.

Well, that's the rumor anyway. OTOH, had you followed my link then you'd have found a response to fatman17 which included to links to attacks made on Mehsud in June and October of 2008. He's been on our target radar far longer than the Washington Times indicates.

That's what I was hoping you'd see.

The river you are talking about might be the kabul river and the four lane road may be the Kohat tunnel. This is a vital link between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Thanks. Does the highway lead somewhere other than Jalalabad/Kabul. Maybe Gardez or Khost?

 

[ejaz007]

I still have doubts if the attacks were on the baitullah mahsud. The targets were in his area but he was the target or not remains debatable.

To the best of my knowledge the road leads to Kabul.

 

[IceCold]

Updated at: 1018 PST, Monday, April 20, 2009
ORAKZAI: Ten militants have been killed in gunship helicopters shelling in Orakzai Agency on Monday.

10 militants killed in Orakzai shelling - GEO.tv

Mods can merge the thread with an existing thread if they find it appropriate.

 

[IceCold]

Twelve militants killed in Orakzai air raid: official​

unday, 19 Apr, 2009 | 09:11 PM PST |
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Troops of Pakistan army patrol the area in Bannu after receiving information on suspected Taliban hideouts. -AP (file photo)

PESHAWAR: Pakistani jets and helicopters attacked suspected militant bases in a tribal area on the Afghan border on Sunday, killing at least 12 militants, a military official said.



The air assault near Ghiljo area in the tribal Orakzai district came a day after a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed more than 20 security personnel in nearby Hangu town, the official said.



‘We had information about the presence of militants in the surrounding hills,’ a senior military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.



‘We engaged jets and helicopters and at least four Taliban bases were destroyed in the bombing and shelling,’ he said.



‘Our information is that 12 militants were killed and the final toll may go up.’



On Saturday a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a checkpoint in Doaba town, in northwestern Hangu district, killing at least 20 security personnel, officials said.



A spokesman for Pakistani Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was in revenge for US missile strikes by unmanned aircraft.



‘We will continue to launch suicide attacks until US drone attacks are stopped,’ Mehsud's deputy, Hakimullah Mehsud, told reporters by telephone.



Extremist attacks in Pakistan, a key US ally, have killed more than 1,700 people across the country since July 2007.



Much of the violence has been concentrated in northwest Pakistan, where the army has been fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda extremists, who fled across the border after the 2001 US-led invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan.

DAWN.COM | NWFP | Twelve militants killed in Orakzai air raid: official

 

[PeacefulIndian]

Is it the same place where all that Jizya took place, which eventually forced few Sikh families to flee their houses?

 

[S-2]

Same agency, yes. Beyond that...?

 

[ejaz007]

TTP commander escapes unhurt from airstrike in Orakzai

LAHORE/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Taliban commander Maulvi Hakimullah Mehsud escaped unhurt from an airstrike by Pakistan’s military on Sunday, a Taliban spokesman told CNN.

A Pakistan Army officer claimed that 20 Taliban were killed in the attack in the Orakzai Agency, and a military spokesman said Mehsud was the intended target. An intelligence official confirmed the target.

On Saturday, Mehsud had claimed responsibility for a suicide car bomb attack on a security convoy in Hangu. At least 28 people were killed in that attack and about 30 were wounded.

Officials and a tribal elder said families had begun fleeing Orakzai Agency amid a military bombing campaign against Taliban hideouts.

Fighter jets and gunship helicopter pounded the hideouts Sunday night, killing at least one person and wounding three others, said Mohammad Yasin, a local government official. A senior military official said at least eight Taliban died.

Unrest in the tribal belt has displaced hundreds of thousands of people over the last year.

“People are afraid,” said Azam Khan, an Orakzai tribal elder. “They are scared, because it was a consistent bombing by the jets the whole of last night. Scores of families are leaving the region.”

Also early on Monday, the bullet-riddled body of an Afghan man was found near Mir Ali in North Waziristan, along with a note accusing him of spying for the United States.

In Bajaur, local officials said some of Baitullah Mehsud’s supporters killed two followers of pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad. daily times monotir/agencies

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan