Operation Rah-e-Nijat (South Waziristan)

[Xeric]

If the rounds hit critical areas, then it can spell disaster for the helicopter.

What about 14.5 mm ...??

 

[TaimiKhan]

What about 14.5 mm ...??

hahahahaahahhaa, much more powerful.

But Sir, problem with such heavy caliber guns and attack helicopters is, that if fired from very close or at some critical or non armor place, it can bring disaster. The rotors of these old helis can't with stand such heavy impact, only the latest helicopters can. But 14.5 is a killer.

And yeah 14.5mm is a very used and popular weapon in these areas.

I get your point.

 

[razgriz19]

why were they flying too low?!
i mean like doesn't they get altitude restrictions in "hot" areas?!

 

[TaimiKhan]

why were they flying too low?!

They came in to attack, it was a valley mountains on both sides, so they got them by surprise.

 

[razgriz19]

They came in to attack, it was a valley mountains on both sides, so they got them by surprise.

oohhh i see......

 

[ajpirzada]

Winning hearts and minds



Viewpoint

Monday, March 08, 2010
By Alam Rind

The triumph of Pakistan’s military success in its tribal areas is due to the cooperation extended by the locals. This cooperation is not incidental; people were weary of Taliban and their atrocities. Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, was received by a large number of notables from Mehsud and Wazir Tribes on the occasion of stone laying ceremony for the construction of two main roads in South Waziristan Agency: Road Tank-Jandola-Sararogha-Makeen and Road Tank-Khajuri-Tanai-Wana. While talking to the tribal elders he thanked them for support of the Military Operations and the sacrifices they made.

He told them that Army will not abandon them and will continue to play its role in rehabilitation of the Displaced People and development of the area. Pakistan Army after flushing out terrorists from the area has embarked upon social uplift projects and developmental works of immediate nature. These projects are being undertaken after necessary consultation with local tribes and in coordination with the Civil Administration. An important aspect of peoples participation is been taken care of and one hopes that it increases with the passage of time.

Bringing neglected and Talibanised areas into national main stream should be at the top of our national agenda. People inhabiting these areas have already given their verdict in favour of Pakistan by supporting military operations. By any standards their sacrifices are no less than that of anyone else. These moments provide us an opportunity to reciprocate by undertaking massive developmental works in these areas. The decision makers needs to be reminded that foreign solutions won’t work, no matter how much money is spent in the area.

It is the empowerment of the people and their involvement in the decision making process that will bring about the real change. The projects should have their consent, should meet their immediate needs, should be in consonance with their culture and preferably should be undertaken with minimum external interference. Such projects are sure to have general public approval, will prove to be sustainable and will induce a feeling of ownership among masses. It will help in bringing about a paradigm change that will sequel off the danger of terrorism from the area. It can also prove to be a roll model, which could be replicated in other areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The triumph of Pakistan’s military success in its tribal areas is due to the cooperation extended by the locals. This cooperation is not incidental; people were weary of Taliban and their atrocities. Moreover, they never perceived Pakistan Army as invaders rather their own kith and kin serve in this organisation, and they knew it for sure that no atrocities will be committed by them. The hope that their lives will be better off after the exit of Taliban in fact motivation that to sacrifice the comforts of their homes, their belongings and in some cases loss of their loved ones. If we draw a comparison of this situation with NATO forces and the mind set of Afghans, a totally different picture emerges. NATO forces are perceived as occupation forces and US and Indian trained Afghan Troops as their extension. The results are obvious, Afghan troops have been engaged by civilian and not Taliban at number of occasions. It is against the pride of every single Afghan to tolerate occupation forces in their country. Cooperating with them and building working relations is rather a distanced possibility.

The situation demands a review. It is neither rational nor practical for USA to spearhead this operation having no end in sight while her budget is shrinking and deficit mounting. On the other hand, honourable exit and peace in Afghanistan opens up a new market and access to its natural resources.

The approach which Americans are adopting that is surge in troops to build pressure, limited operations, building a bridge between the people and Afghan Government through Afghan Troops to restore order in the country. Theoretically the model should work, but the signs already point in the different direction. The biggest flaw is that it doesn’t take into account the sensitivities of the people. The result could be that they will remain embroiled in Afghan quagmire for longer than what US administration anticipates. It will put greater strain on their budget than what the US economy can take. A stage may come where American are forced to withdraw under domestic and economic pressures. In the process besides loss of face they might permanently loose economic leadership of the world. The End Game Strategy has to be innovative; it must be acceptable to all concerned, should relieve US troops and her allies of military burden and still bring about a paradigm change in the perceptions of Afghans motivating them to take part in the reconstruction of their country.

It certainly requires thinking out of the box. One possibility can be that the command of Nato forces should be assigned to a Saudi General and American and European Troops replaced by troops from Muslim countries. Their mandate amended to training of Afghan troops and over viewing developmental works. This will be in line with the change in US stance of counting that how many people are protected instead of counting the number of terrorist killed. It will be much easier to win over locals and will also prevent takeover of the country by Taliban.

While drawing a comparison between anti terrorist campaigns in Pakistan and Afghanistan it will be safe to infer that these can’t be won without the support of the local people. Locals have to be convinced that the forces operating in their country are doing so for their good. There should be no ideological conflict; rather these people should be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with them to offer their prayers. If the world can buy and contemplate on such ideas the Afghan problem can be solved in a cost effective way.

Winning hearts and minds

 

[fatman17]

US acknowledges Pakistan’s wider anti-militancy resolve

* David Petraeus says fight against Taliban ‘very much a work in progress’

WASHINGTON: As Pakistan continued its success in capturing key Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, a top US general appreciated the ‘emerging recognition’ in Islamabad of the symbiotic relationship between various extremist groups in the region.

“I think the development most recently is that there is emerging a recognition of what (Defence) Secretary Robert Gates has called the symbiotic relationship between all of the extremist elements in the FATA,” Gen David Petraeus, Chief of Central Command, told CNN in an interview, while citing his recent visits to the country and meetings with Pakistan Army leaders.

In the interview the US commander acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in its anti-militancy fight. He also praised the Pakistani security strategy and counterinsurgency efforts for Swat and other northwestern regions.

Underway:

Petraeus, however, said that Pakistan’s fight against the Taliban is “very much a work in progress”. “This is the beginning of a campaign there, and the important development is that this is the Pakistanis fighting their war against internal extremists that threaten them,” he added.

The Centcom chief noted that the more important development was the one that has taken place internal to Pakistan. “This is the decision... that was reached some 10 months or so ago after the Pakistani people, all of the Pakistani leaders... recognised that the threat of the internal extremists to the Pakistani state was reaching existential proportions”, and that the Taliban in the Swat districts, Swat Valley in particular, and in the Malakand Division were threatening the very writ of governance.

“We have to recognise, number one, the enormous loss of life that the Pakistani military has sustained, and even more, Pakistani civilians. Because of course, as always, when a force takes away a sanctuary or a safe haven from an enemy, that enemy will fight back, and it will go in other areas where you are more vulnerable, perhaps, than in the areas where the actual fighting is taking place,” he said.

On the security dimension of the Pakistani strategy, he said, “We also have to recognise that the Pakistani Army, the Frontier Corps, and other security forces, have put a lot of short sticks into a lot of hornets’ nests over the course of last 10 months. There’s a limit to how much you can do that without consolidating the gains in some areas and then, over time, as I mentioned, thinning out to enable you to go into other areas, but leaving behind a sustainable security, a sustainable economic, social, political situation, so that you wouldn’t have to go back there in the future...is the real challenge.” app

 

[Faadi]

Despite all these suggestions I will like to suggest that PA must strive its best to avoid war in Pakistan and have a dialogue with them.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Despite all these suggestions I will like to suggest that PA must strive its best to avoid war in Pakistan and have a dialogue with them.

Latoon kae bhoot bataoon sae nahien mantay. By now, our nation should have gotten this phrase and understood too in this context.

 

[pakistanguide]

Yes INDIAN INTERVENTION..........

 

[Cha.Cal]

Heartening to see the initiation of reconstruction works in South Waziristan.

 

[fatman17]

Taliban may be down, but not out: analysts

* Arayana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy expert Khadim Hussain describes Taliban retreat as ‘tactical’ move

PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s unprecedented crackdown on the Taliban may have weakened the group, but it is still a threat to the unpopular US-backed government.

The stakes are high and Pakistan is being pulled in several directions.

Washington wants the military to hunt down Afghan Taliban groups crossing over the border to attack US troops in Afghanistan. But Pakistan is already stretched against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has a history of bouncing back and has started to carry out suicide bombings again after a relatively quiet period.

“It seems to me that this is a tactical retreat and the structure and the militant network still exists,” said Khadim Hussain, a researcher with the private Arayana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy. “There is a relative lull in militant attacks, but there is a question mark about how long this lull will last.”

The battle is draining Pakistan’s sluggish economy, already battered by chronic power cuts and starved of foreign investment.

While Pakistani officials are boasting of major successes, Taliban have demonstrated the ability to attack all kinds of targets to destabilise the state.

“We have shaken them ... they are on the run,” said Fiaz Toru, a top official at the NWFP Home Ministry.

While Taliban bases were destroyed in a major offensive in South Waziristan and the military said it had flushed members of the group out of Bajaur, officials acknowledge the Taliban often melt away during offensives – sometimes returning to areas taken over by the state.

They fled the assault in South Waziristan, for instance, and regrouped in other ethnic Pashtun tribal areas such as North Waziristan. It is a familiar pattern.

The army launched an offensive a year ago to clear Taliban out of Swat. Luckily for the military, the public – angered by the Taliban’s austere version of sharia – started backing the state in the battle.

But the Swat crackdown also raised concerns he group would simply flee to Mansehra.

Suspected militants stormed an office of a US-based, Christian aid agency near Mansehra on Wednesday, killing six Pakistani aid workers after singling them out and then bombing the building.

Deep down, Pakistani officials may not be as confident as their boasts suggest, even in Peshawar.

“We have made Peshawar comparatively peaceful, but our main concern is now that they may be running sleeper cells in southern and eastern districts of the province,” said a senior security official involved in the anti-Taliban crackdown.

A new push by the Taliban would renew pressure on President Asif Ali Zardari, who cannot afford new political crises.

Such a push may not be possible for now. It is widely believed that TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike in January.

Nevertheless, analysts say the Taliban are capable of producing one leader after another.

Despite ongoing security challenges, Washington expects Pakistan also to go after Afghan Taliban groups who cross the border to attack US forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has arrested the Afghan Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, earning praise from the Americans. But an all-out siege against all Afghan groups would open new fronts and likely cost more Pakistani lives.

“We can’t afford to do things in a hurry. We have to move at our own pace. While we are consolidating our gains in South Waziristan and Swat, we can’t afford to go to North Waziristan right away,” said a senior security official. reuters

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan Army Digs In on Turf of the Taliban

Pir Zubair Shah for The New York Times


By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH

Published: March 12, 2010

MAKEEN, Pakistan — From a forward base in the bare brown foothills of the soaring mountains of South Waziristan, Pakistani soldiers fired artillery at insurgents sheltering in scrub across the valley. Smoke blotted the sky as the soldiers set ablaze houses once used by the Taliban to hide caches of heavy weapons.

Pakistani soldiers launched mortars near Makeen, Pakistan, on Thursday.
In the Makeen bazaar, where the former leader of the Pakistani militants, Baitullah Mehsud, was once king, the army has flattened the jerry-built stores, including the ice cream parlor, scotching any idea of easy return.

Here in the heartland of the Pakistani Taliban, the army has fought for five months to claw back territory from its indigenous enemy. A rare trip under military escort revealed that the battle had turned into a grinding test of wills with no neat resolution in sight.

The Pakistani Army has, at least for the moment, gained the upper hand by taking the war to the Taliban in these barren mountains rather than retreating behind successive peace deals, as it once did. But it is not claiming victory.

“The terrorists are nowhere and everywhere,” Lt. Col. Nisar Mughal said as he looked out on a landscape devoid of people, crops, animals or any sign of normal life. “This is a strange kind of warfare. We can’t say the area is completely sanitized. We are hunting them, killing them.”

Mr. Mehsud and his men, allies of Al Qaeda, used this area over the past few years to attack Pakistani cities and military installations with a ferocious onslaught of suicide bombings and commando raids.

Most have now fled to North Waziristan, or to other parts of the tribal areas and to Pakistan’s cities, leaving behind small bands of dedicated guerrillas. They continue to inflict casualties on the army with ambushes and sniper fire in a region where the British tried but failed to subdue the tribes during their colonial rule.

The United States, a long-distance participant and a keen cheerleader in the current Pakistani campaign, killed Mr. Mehsud in a drone strike in August and appears to have killed his successor, Hakimullah Mehsud, in another drone attack in January. But the suicide attacks continue, as evident in the bombings that killed more than 40 people in Lahore on Friday.

Washington has sent extra artillery, helicopters, body armor, radio sets and even surveillance drones to help Pakistan’s ground war. During a recent visit Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged $55 million to upgrade roads in the area.

In return, the Obama administration would like the Pakistani military to pursue a full-scale offensive in North Waziristan against the Afghan Taliban, who use the area to launch operations against American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and who serve as Pakistan’s proxies against Indian interests there.

So far, the chief of the Pakistani army, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, has made clear that India remains Pakistan’s prime enemy, despite the persistent insurgent threat, and that the army has its hands full with the South Waziristan campaign.

It is a fight that his nuclear-armed military, which is trained for conventional warfare against Indian forces on the plains of Punjab, has been forced to adapt to in strange ways.

At Nawazkot, a village just north of Makeen, Lt. Col. Yusuf Mehmood said one of his officers, trained in mountain climbing, scaled a 7,000-foot peak with ropes and crampons. The officer had 15 soldiers with him.

“They managed to get above a group of about 300 militants, and then fired on them,” the colonel said. The militants scattered, he said.

On a hill above Makeen, Colonel Mughal’s men hacked a trail with one bulldozer and six donkeys, used to carry weapons and ammunition. The trail was needed as the path for a new forward base overlooking Makeen, a series of small villages of flat-roofed mud compounds stretched out along a narrow valley.

Each night, squads of soldiers, charged with fending off efforts by the militants to steal the lone bulldozer, guarded the precious machine.

The trail took 45 days to build. “We are fighting within our means,” one major said wryly.

Then the trail needed upkeep. Two army engineers, protected with their screen of 15 soldiers, scan the trail every morning for improvised explosive devices planted at night by the militants.

Now that the snow has melted and pink flowers are blooming, lending a surprising softness to the harsh landscape of dry riverbeds and gravel tracks, the army says it will ask civilians who were ordered to leave last fall to return to their villages.

The return of the people, many of them marooned in camps in North-West Frontier Province, will probably prove the hardest part of the operation.

First, many militants are expected to drift back among the civilians.

Second, the military will remain in South Waziristan for perhaps the next 18 months or so, the army says.

But neither the army nor the national civilian government has done much preparation for fixing the broken system of indirect rule in the tribal areas that has failed over the last 60 years to deliver development.

Much of the rebellion of the Pakistani Taliban was fueled by anger at the corruption of tribal leaders who pocketed government money intended for economic development, said a retired army officer, Murad Khan Mehsud, from the village of Nano, not far from Makeen.

“I told General Kayani that half the teachers in my village are sitting in Dubai or Karachi, not in the schools,” Mr. Mehsud said.

This was because under a time-honored practice in the tribal areas, teachers’ salaries were not paid to teachers, but to tribal leaders who in turn split the money between their relatives and a government bureaucrat, he said.

Some residents have expressed hesitation about returning while the military remains.

“We are being asked to go back, but we will only go back when the military leaves,” said Nasir Muhammad Mehsud, 18, an engineering student from the village of Khaisore, now living in Dera Ismail Khan, a city filled with the displaced from South Waziristan.

If the military stays in South Waziristan, Mr. Mehsud said, Pakistani civilians will again be subject to attacks by the Taliban, who are not yet defeated. The soldiers, he said, will become targets of the militants, and the people will be caught in between.

But most galling, Mr. Mehsud said, was the destruction of family property during the fighting, including 200 houses in his area. So far, there had been no offers of compensation for all that was lost, he said.

Brig. Sarfraz Sattar, who leads the army operation in Makeen, acknowledged some of the difficulties of reform. But, he said, he remained upbeat.

“The Mehsuds as a tribe did not support the Pakistani Taliban,” Brigadier Sattar said. “Baitullah Mehsud terrorized the people, slit the throats of the tribal leaders, and the people had to submit.” The army inflicted enough damage on the militants, he said, to make it hard for them to regain that kind of control.

 

[ajpirzada]

Military to end South Waziristan operation

Monday, 15 Mar, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Military leadership told political leaders on Monday that major targets in the South Waziristan operation had been achieved and therefore the military would be formally ending its operation on March 30 and handing over control to the civil administration.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting held at the presidency chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and attended by the Governor and Chief Minister of NWFP, Interior and Law Ministers, Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani and other senior intelligence officials.
The meeting reviewed the progress made in investigations, prosecution and trials of those involved in acts of terrorism in the tribal areas, Swat, Malakand and the rest of the NWFP.

General Kayani said that the civil administration should make itself ready to take over 4,000 high profile militants and terrorists captured during various operations for their trial in the court of law.

He also stated that the military's exit strategy from South Waziristan was ready and it would be winding up the operation in South Waziristan but military presence would remain there to deal with any eventuality.

Additional Chief Secretary Frontier Fayyaz Ahmed Toro gave a detailed presentation on the progress made so far in the investigation, prosecution and trial of the some of the detainees.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Military to end South Waziristan operation

 

[ejaz007]

‘S Waziristan operation to end on 30th’

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The military leadership told the government that the army had achieved its major targets in the region, therefore it would end the operation in South Waziristan on March 30 and hand over control to the civil administration, a private news channel reported on Monday.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani told a high-level meeting, presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the President House, that the army’s exit strategy from South Waziristan was ready. However, he said the army would remain present in some areas to deal with any Taliban resurge.

Kayani said the civil administration should ready itself for taking on 4,000 high-profile terrorists, captured during various operations, for their trial in court.

NWFP Additional Chief Secretary Fayyaz Ahmed Toro gave a detailed presentation on the progress made so far in the investigation, prosecution and trial of detained terrorists in the province, particularly in Swat and Malakand. Meanwhile, senators Abbas Khan Afridi, hailing from FR Kohat, and Idrees Khan Saifi from Mohmand Agency of FATA, who had joined the PPP on Monday morning, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency in the evening. staff report/daily times monitor

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