Operation Rah-e-Nijat

[fatman17]

Pakistan improves position to fight Taliban in S Waziristan

* US drone strikes, growing opposition to Taliban among tribes clearing the way

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Despite continued suicide attacks across the country, the Pakistani army is more resolved and better placed to attack Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists in their safe havens along the Afghan border, emboldened by months of successful US drone attacks and growing opposition to the Taliban among tribal groups.

A report in the Washington Times said on Tuesday that suicide attacks, such as Monday’s assault on the UN World Food Programme office in Islamabad, have alienated Pakistanis, including those from the Tribal Areas.

Turkistan Bhittani, a tribal leader who has broken his ties with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Saturday said US drone attacks were “absolutely correct” and hoped for a successful military offensive in the Tribal Areas despite the presence of “10,000 foreign Taliban”.

Bhittani’s support for drone attacks was a first by a major Taliban commander. Bhittani’s was referring to the area in South Waziristan controlled by the Mehsud tribe of former TTP leader Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a suspected US drone strike on August 5.

Such divisions among tribes and sub-tribes throughout the border regions of Pakistan are likely to become more significant as security forces take on the TTP.

“There could not be a more conducive time to target TTP and Al Qaeda for the security forces,” said Gul Rahman, a researcher at Gomal University in Dera Ismail Khan.

“Already, a large number of people, whose number [is] running into hundreds of thousands, have left South Waziristan Agency due to fear of fighting. But more importantly, many of these people whom I came across said that they greatly appreciate the drone strikes and offensive against Taliban and Al Qaeda. So a kind of anti-militant public opinion has formed in South Waziristan, which should be capitalised upon,” he told the Washington Times.

 

[Javed3]

Following the passage if the Kerry-Lugar bill Pakistan has to demonstrate credible “performance” to receive $ 1.5 b / year. Our sovereignty has a per capita worth of about US$ 9 / year; compared to about US$ 322 / year for a Georgian! That’s about the lowest rental rate for a sovereign State anywhere in the world. As a bonus you get 650,000 strong highly disciplined forces full time; for what it would cost to field just a US Brigade.

The Drone strikes in Waziristan are the best US security policy tool; PAF strikes too are a great contributory factor. Pakistan Army will soon establish effective control over Waziristan; and flush out the Taliban menace.

 

[james1986]

Pakistan is China's very worthy of trust and respect of friends, hope you stronger, people more and more happiness

 

[Javed3]

China-Pakistan friendship is ever green, timeless and based on very sincere bonds.

 

[fatman17]

the kerry/luger bill will be rejected!!!

 

[Xeric]

Pakistan's plan for South Waziristan offensive | WORLD News

Pakistan's plan for South Waziristan offensive

Published: 10:12PM Thursday October 08, 2009

Source: Reuters


The Pakistani army is preparing an offensive on the Pakistani Taliban in their stronghold of South Waziristan near the Afghan border.

The United States sees a concerted push by Pakistan to eliminate Taliban and al Qaeda sanctuaries in its territory as key to turning around a faltering US-led war in Afghanistan.

Here are some questions and answers about the offensive:

Who is the military targeting?

Several militant factions are based in lawless ethnic Pashtun tribal areas in the northwest, along the Afghan border. The groups include the Pakistani Taliban, based in South Waziristan, and other factions that concentrate on their battle to expel US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan. Foreign fighters, including an estimated 1,000 Uzbeks, most of whom are with the Pakistani Taliban, as well as Arab al Qaeda fighters and militants from Pakistan's Punjab province are scattered through the region. For now, despite US pressure for action against the Afghan Taliban, the army is focusing on the Pakistani Taliban, who poses the greatest threat to Pakistan.

How many militants, soldiers?

Two divisions, or up to 28,000 soldiers, are in place, which the military says is a sufficient number to take on an estimated 10,000 hardcore Taliban in rugged South Waziristan. The region is criss-crossed by jagged mountains laced by ravines of which the military has little knowledge. Standard counter-insurgency doctrine suggests a soldier to insurgent ratio of up to 10:1 is needed. Pakistan had earlier cited shortages of helicopters, armoured vehicles and precision weapons in putting off the assault. But US defence officials said this week Pakistan had mobilised enough forces and equipment to launch the offensive. US officials acknowledge Pakistan needs more armoured vehicles and night-vision devises and one said the Pentagon was trying to free up helicopters and other equipment.

What tactics?

The army has been trained to take on forces from old rival India in conventional battle and analysts say its counter-insurgency capabilities are weak. The military rejects that. Nevertheless, the army has traditionally relied on air strikes and long-range artillery, rather than small foot patrols that counter-insurgency experts say are essential to protect and win over the population and glean intelligence. The army's use of heavy fire power has in the past displaced large numbers of civilians while the militants and their leaders have often melted away to reappear later. The United States believes the Pakistanis will have to clear and hold territory to crush the militants loyal to the late Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. Many members of the South Waziristan tribes sympathise with the militants and the military will be at pains to avoid an uprising. The army sent troops in to South Waziristan in 2004 but they met surprisingly fierce opposition and suffered heavy casualties. Authorities later agreed to a peace deal.

When might the offensive begin?

The military says its operation in South Waziristan has already begun. For months, the military has been launching air and artillery strikes, while moving troops, blockading the region and trying to split off factions. The military has declined to say when ground troops will be sent in. Snow is likely by late November, but some analysts argue snow will be more of a problem for the militants, who use high mountain trails that will become impassable, than for the military which has some cold-weather warfare capability and aircraft for transport.

What implications for Afghanistan?

In the short-term, an assault on the Pakistani Taliban will have little impact on Afghan violence. In the longer term, if the assault is successful, the United States will press Pakistan to turn its attention to Afghan Taliban factions in South Waziristan and neighbouring North Waziristan. It remains to be seen if Pakistan can be convinced to act with full force against the groups it sees as useful to counter the influence of old rival India in Afghanistan, especially if the United States declines to send more troops to Afghanistan and is seen to be losing heart for the Afghan war and pushing for talks with the Taliban.

 

[fatman17]

^if someone can upload the charlie rose interview of david ignatiaus of washington post, from bloomberg you will be amazed what he is recommending the US forces to do in afghanistan - in short he wants the US to replicate the pak army actions in swat if they want to succeed.!!!

 

[Patriot]

^if someone can upload the charlie rose interview of david ignatiaus of washington post, from bloomberg you will be amazed what he is recommending the US forces to do in afghanistan - in short he wants the US to replicate the pak army actions in swat if they want to succeed.!!!

Yep watched it.He is all praising Pakistan Army and ISI.

 

[waraich66]

Yep watched it.He is all praising Pakistan Army and ISI.

I think credit of success of swat goes to SSG have no match in the world.No doubt ISI is think tank of army.

 

[TaimiKhan]

I think credit of success of swat goes to SSG have no match in the world.No doubt ISI is think tank of army.

just to SSG ??? So the other 2 divisions of PA are there for "jhak maring" ?? The hundreds of militants killed, daily search operations & militants being killed & captured & the holding of the ground captured & the hundreds of other soldiers & officers martyred other then SSG have no role played ??

By your logic, It means PA is wasting time & resources in deploying the 28,000 troops in waziristan, they should just deploy the SSG to get the 10,000 militants.

By the way SSG have many matches in the world, its not the only best commando outfit, there are others too.

 

[waraich66]

just to SSG ??? So the other 2 divisions of PA are their for "jhak maring" ?? The hundreds of militants killed, daily search operations & militants being killed & captured & the holding of the ground captured & the hundreds of other soldiers & officers martyred other then SSG have no role played ??

By your logic, It means PA is in waste deploying the 28,000 troops in waziristan, they should just deploy the SSG to get the 10,000 militants.

By the way SSG have many matches in the world, its not the only best commando outfit, there are others too.

Try to understand SSG is only unit trained specially to fight gurrilla war or insurgency , no other units have their important role .

Think tanks can put more light on this topic

 

[TaimiKhan]

Try to understand SSG is only unit trained specially to fight gurrilla war or insurgency , no other units have their important role .

Think tanks can put more light on this topic

First of all, any regular unit destined to go in the COIN Ops area has to go through a 3 months COIN course to get them trained & used to what they are gonna face. Any unit not qualifying this course is not sent for this operation. So a COIN training course is in place now.

Secondly, no where in the world COIN operations have been conducted or succeeded by just the special forces, the combination of both regular & SF is required for a success.

Take the example of Sri Lanka, where their SF where doing behind enemy line operations & other highly risky tasks while the regular units where advancing & capturing the LTTE area & smashing their defenses.

Same is the case here, SSG is not employed in frontal assaults on the militants until extremely necessary meaning the task is of high importance. They are used for behind the enemy line operations, special raids, targeting purposes, reconnaissance purposes & the recent example of the air assault in Peochar Valley is a good example as this kind of operation needed special skills which the SSG provided.

But the majority of work load has been on the regular units who have made & make the initial advances toward the militant controlled area & have been involved in fierce clashes with them & after capturing an area have to clear it & hold it too.

The importance of both SF & regular forces is there, but the amount of work to be done is not equal. SF are less in numbers so they are deployed for only special purposes, the regular army units do most of the donkey work.

So calling SSG the reason of this operation success would be unjust as the regular units have seen more action & they are the ones who do the frontal assault, search & destroy operations & hold the captured ground. SSG has been there to help them & guide them in many of the operations too & do their own share of work.

Its a team effort, SSG & regular units & PAF are one team, who have & are doing the job.

 

[fatman17]

COIN is the reason why progress by US/Nato is very slow in afghanistan - PA strategy is working - artillery - air strikes - CAS - overwhelm the militants - the only downside is IDPs as people move out of the conflict area - yes SOFs ops will be specific to achieve certain goals / capture key posts / peaks to control the "wadis".

 

[fatman17]

Waziristan sealed, jets targeting Taliban positions’

LAHORE: Security forces have started bombing Taliban positions in South Waziristan as the army prepares for a ground operation in the agency, the Financial Times has reported.

“We have sealed the area and are involved in aerial targeting [of Taliban locations],” military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told the paper on Thursday.

Abbas did not disclose when the army would begin the ground campaign, but a minister was quoted as saying that the preparations were complete. He said the military needed to act before the winter snow started to fall next month.

“The preparations are fully in place. The timing has yet to be decided. We are in that phase where it is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ an attack will take place,” the minister was quoted. An intelligence official said the military operation would come in several stages. “There will be very focused strikes including airstrikes to soften enemy targets. Once this is achieved, the military will begin marching in,” he said.

daily times monitor

 

[fatman17]

Army awaiting US resources to begin Waziristan offensive: FM

* Govt intends to take South Waziristan, hold it, integrate it into mainstream
* Pakistan wants US trust, drones, market access

LAHORE/WASHINGTON: With Pakistan planning a stepped up offensive in South Waziristan to eliminate the Taliban, security units are awaiting military resources promised by the US to begin the assault, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.

Talking to The Washington Times on Thursday, Qureshi said the new offensive would “be more ambitious than any other in the nation’s history” and the country’s security forces intended to take the agency, hold it and integrate its impoverished tribal population into mainstream society.

“We intend to drive them out, we intend to clear the territories of sanctuaries, we intend to hold that ground, we intend to amalgamate that area into mainstream Pakistan,” he said. Qureshi said the situation in the country had changed since democracy was restored in 2008 and the government and the military were now united against the Taliban threat.

The foreign minister said the timing of the offensive “will depend on the availability of our resources,” such as night-vision equipment and helicopters.

“Now [the US] wants quick delivery. Give us the resources to move at a faster pace,” he told the paper. He said unlike Afghanistan, Pakistan did not require US “boots on the ground” to set its wrongs right.

Qureshi did not comment on the potential US troop increase in Afghanistan, but said he thought US President Barack Obama would decide the matter by the end of this month or early next month, adding that Obama “should share his decision with Pakistan before it is announced”.

The foreign minister said that despite past disagreements, Pakistan was the “most important ally” in the region for Washington.

“We have been your consistent foul-weather friend,” Qureshi said. “Pakistan is going to be critical to your success and failure in Afghanistan.”

He said Pakistanis needed to be reassured that the US was making a “long-term commitment” to the region and was not going to abandon it as it did at the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan “supports and appreciates new US legislation that will give Pakistan $7.5 billion in economic aid over five years”.

He said the bill was “the first demonstration of engaging with the people of Pakistan” and said it would support urgent needs in education, health and poverty alleviation, the paper said.

But Qureshi said a debate was still on over the language of the bill, which he said his government intended to fully explain to parliament, military and the public.

“In politics, in legislation, there are compromises,” he said. “Are we on the same page as far as extremism is concerned? Are we on the same page as far as terrorism is concerned? Are we on the same page as far as democracies are concerned? Are we on the same page as far as social development is concerned? ... And the answer to that is yes, we are,” he said.

Accessible trust: Meanwhile, Reuters reported Qureshi as saying that Pakistan did not just want US aid, but greater market access for its goods, transfer of drone technology and above all, trust.

He said US aid would not harm Pakistan, but said the country was “not asking for you [US] to keep doling out aid, we are asking for greater market access. Better trade with the European Union and the US can help our economy stabilise.”

Qureshi also asked the US to stop doubting the Inter-Services Intelligence.

“If you keep doubting them, and don’t expect them to cooperate with you, that’s a contradiction,” he said.

daily times monitor/reuters