Operation Rah-e-Rast (Swat)

[Elmo]

What's the ISPR/official count for the total number of civilians, Taliban and soldiers killed in Rah-e-Rast...


Also, since the operation in Buner and Swat has reached its end, is the formation of lashkars the mainstay in preventing their resurgence?

 

[fatman17]

Mullen for sustained relationship with Pakistan, Afghanistan

* Top US military commander says more troops needed to ensure safety of Afghan people
* Pentagon says Afghan review has been delayed

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The US needs to focus on a regional approach that incorporates Pakistan and Afghanistan, and allows for a sustained relationship with both countries, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen told the National Public Radio (NPR) in an interview.

When asked about the claims of several foreign policy specialists that the real fight was in Pakistan, Mullen said he agreed that Pakistan was also “a real challenge”. He alleged that the leadership of Al Qaeda was residing in Pakistan. “I don’t believe that we can get at Al Qaeda by just focusing on one country or another. It’s the regional approach and, in fact, I think, a sustained relationship with both countries that will allow us to do that,” he added.

He said senior Pentagon officials had also started to review the progress of the Obama administration’s strategy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan to determine whether they need to send more troops to Afghanistan. “He’s (US commander in Afghanistan Stanley McChrystal) looking at assessing the president’s strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Mullen said. He said the assessment would be used to forward recommendations to the president.

More needed: Mullen told NPR’s Steve Inskeep the mission must shift to ensure the security of the Afghan people, adding this would require more than troops, including civilians willing to build local governments and institutions. “It would be city management kind of capacity, it would be agriculture capacity — it would be, you know, the kinds of things that we just haven’t had there,” he said. “As you look at trying to create not just a secure environment but governance, in order to provide for the people — and the government doesn’t do that right now in Afghanistan — as well as development, to see if we can get the economy moving in the right direction,” he added. “One of the reasons that it’s a tougher fight is because it has been under-resourced. The Taliban have gotten much better, and we’ve seen that since 2006 — significant increases in capability and sophistication each year over the last three years,” he said.

Delay: Meanwhile, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said on Wednesday that an assessment of the war in Afghanistan by General Stanley McChrystal was no longer expected by mid-August and would not include a request for extra troops. He said Defence Secretary Robert Gates had initially given 60 days to McChrystal to complete the project. However, he added, when the two leaders met at a US air base in Belgium on Sunday, Gates gave McChrystal additional instructions and extra time to finish the review.

McChrystal’s advisers have said he would need more troops and other resources to turn the tide in a war that senior US officials have acknowledged they are not winning, the Reuters news agency reported. But McChrystal himself has yet to say whether he believes he needs more forces to carry out his mission.

 

[fatman17]

What's the ISPR/official count for the total number of civilians, Taliban and soldiers killed in Rah-e-Rast...


Also, since the operation in Buner and Swat has reached its end, is the formation of lashkars the mainstay in preventing their resurgence?

one estimate is

taliban killed ~1,700 - Injured ~500
soldiers shaheed ~450 including officers - Injured ~600
civilians less than 500.

army will stay in the malakand valley for 1-year till the police and FC capacities / capabilities are "ramped" up.

PDF at your service!

 

[iPhone]

dawn is reporting lashkars being raised in Swat to combat taliban. I dont know but I dont agree with this lashkar strategy. They could become a future problem of their own. Civilians who pick up arms without any code of conduct to adhere to never remain the same. hopefully, army knows what they're doing.

 

[PAFAce]

dawn is reporting lashkars being raised in Swat to combat taliban. I dont know but I dont agree with this lashkar strategy. They could become a future problem of their own. Civilians who pick up arms without any code of conduct to adhere to never remain the same. hopefully, army knows what they're doing.

Yep, I have similar concerns. I have always been against militias, because even if they start out with good intentions, eventually, they all end up too powerful, too ambitious and becoming too much of a problem.

But, it is also important in this case to make sure there is strong resistance within the people against future Taleban insurgency. If we leave the people weak, the police/FC will not be able to control the silent infiltration.

A compromise will have to be reached. Army presence will have to be maintained, and intelligence efforts will have to be ramped up. Countless Assets will have to be developed, communication links with the locals, the clerics, the tribal leaders, and the lashkars will have to be maintained. In short, there must be a sense of control without a sense of suppression or oppression. It will be a tricky dance, this one, but I strongly believe we can steal the show.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Guys, no need to get worried, this lashkar concept is very old in these areas, and they are composed of the local people who work for the safety and betterment of their own people. The lashkar is composed of the people from the different tribes & different villages & locations, lashkar is not composed of one tribe, sub-tribes are involved, and each looks after the safety of the whole area or mostly used when some kind of punishment is awarded for some individual or group of people or any tribe. Its raised of different tribes so that the blame is not on one tribe members for carrying out the punishment or any other action. Collective punishment & responsibility concept.
So if a lashkar does try to go out of hand, its not for sure that all the tribes involved in the lashkar would go for it, some will oppose and seperate, leaving the lashkar numbers down. And pushton tribes rarely get united on bad kind of things or things u guys fear of, they only get united when something threatens them, just like taliban. They are not violent kind of people except for few, and the people of swat, dir are one of the most decent & civilized tribal people.

 

[SparklingCrescent]

the pakistan army has cleared swat for them... there juss continuin the war to prevent taliban **** comin in... why da hell wudd the lashkar turn on the army while there the onze giving them ammunition, and pretty much more power... no needa worry...

 

[fatman17]

i am not sure but there was a clash between 2 lashkars and 8 people were either killed or injured yesterday - so they may be supporting the state in the fight against the militants but they can be "un-reliable"!

 

[TaimiKhan]

i am not sure but there was a clash between 2 lashkars and 8 people were either killed or injured yesterday - so they may be supporting the state in the fight against the militants but they can be "un-reliable"!

Sir, the lashkars u r talking about may be the Laskar e Islam (The Mangal Bagh Group) & Ansar Ul Islam, these 2 groups or lashkars are fighting it out in the Tirah Valley for dominance, these two have just the issue of controlling area and dominating the people. Ansar Ul Islam is just defending its or its peoples are area, while Lashkar e Islam is a militant kind of group, who are more active in kidnapping and so called enforcement of shariah.

Lashkar can be of multi tribes to take on one challenge (like taliban), it can be a laskar of just one tribe or sub tribe to fight against another one, or some tribes lashkar to fight against another lashkar. It can be raised for govt help too, just like what we saw in 1948 Kashmir war, when lashkars went to fight out the sikh forces till the army take over the fight.

 

[Xeric]

Pak mly growing in stature, played key role in elimination of 2 most feared terrorists

Pak mly growing in stature, played key role in elimination of 2 most feared terrorists


Written by Fayaz Wani

If the latest reports from Pakistan about Baitullah Meshud’s death are true, then it is the second elimination of the most feared terrorist commanders of the world in past couple of months. In May this year, the dreaded Chief of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) V Prabhakaran was killed in Sri Lanka. Strategically in both the cases, Pakistan military played a key role and this has proved that their army can do ‘wonders’ if they have the desire and will to go after the terrorists.

The self styled Chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban, Baitullah Meshud, whom Pakistan accused of being working on the behest of India, was reportedly killed alongwith his wife and body guards in a US drone attack in South Wazirstan on Wednesday. His death is being termed as a major setback to Taliban Pakistan chapter and may have a demoralizing effect on its ranks in Pakistan. Already more than 1600 Taliban terrorists, according to Pakistani officials, have been killed in the Pakistan military offensive in Swat and Wazirstan.

While the Pakistani military launched ground and air offensive against Taliban in Swat valley, it has been concentrating only on air and drone strikes in Waziristan, where Al Qaida and Taliban terrorists have a strong hold. Although officially Pakistan has been opposing the US drone strikes, which of late have become more accurate and successful, but the American and Pakistani officials are said to have tacit understanding on the unmanned done strikes against the terrorist targets within Pakistan.

According to media reports, the CIA launched the missiles targeting Baitullah Mehsud after Pakistan intelligence officials passed a confirmed report that the Taliban chief was staying in his father-in-law's home in South Waziristan. “A video of the attack was shared with Pakistani authorities. In it, Mehsud along with his vehicle is seen inside a sprawling compound,” one of the Pakistani intelligence officials has been quoted as saying by the media reports.

According to wire agency reports quoting Pakistani intelligence officer, Mehsud’s funeral had already taken place. “He was killed with his wife and buried in Nargosey,” he added.

Baitullah Meshud, according to Pakistani officials, was behind several terrorist attacks including the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto and the deadly strike on Marriot hotel in Islamabad. Besides, he was also blamed for numerous suicide terrorist attacks across Pakistan including the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore in March this year.

He had a $5m US reward on his head and his death, if true, is being seen as a ‘major achievement’ in the war against terrorism. Meshud had gained in ‘stature’ to the extent that The Time magazine rated him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The Newsweek too described him as more dangerous than Osama bin Laden.

It is the second major achievement of the Pakistan military within a year. Earlier in May this year, they were credited for the defeat of LTTE in Sri Lanka and elimination of its top leadership including its dreaded chief commander V Prabhakaran in the Island nation.

The LTTE was established by Prabhakaran in 1970s and launched all out war in early 1980s. The terrorist group had a vast area under its control in 1990s and upto early 2007. Besides having sophisticated weapons, they managed to procure some planes and were also having some boats fixed with weapons.

Prabhakaran like Mehsud was blamed for almost all the terror strikes that took place in Sri Lanka. He gave new dimension to the terrorism by introducing suicide bombing. One of the lady suicide bombers sent by him killed former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi in Indian city of Coimbatore on 21 May 1991. His men also carried out some spectacular air and ground attacks but they ran out of luck after the Sri Lankan troops received military assistance, training and guidance from Pakistan army.

After the denials of military hardware by its immediate neighbour India, Sri Lanka found in Pakistan an ally, which not only dispatched military hardware to the nation embattling LTTE but also sent a team of highly professional army and intelligence officials to guide the Lankan army in their battle against the LTTE rebels.

There have been media reports in Colombo and Pakistan that Pakistani pilots flew the fighter jets to target the LTTE rebels and their bases. The air strikes had enormously weakened the LTTE fighting power and when the ground battle began in April 2008, they could not hold to the military might of Sri Lankan troops ably guided by Pakistani military officials.

Almost all the top LTTE leadership including its once elusive chief was eliminated on May 18 this year. This brought an end to the war in the Island nation, which consumed more than 70,000 people in pitched battles, suicide attacks, bomb strikes and assassinations.

The killing of world’s two most feared terrorist chiefs within a span of few months is a cumbersome task and needs lot of planning. “The Pakistan military officials have gained the expertise during the Afghan war while working in tandem with US army and intelligence officials. Now their army strategists and planners have proved that Pakistan military has a key role in ‘War against terror’,” a Kashmiri security analyst said.

He said that by taking out Baitullah Meshud, Pakistan military has indicated that when they have got the desire and will, they can beat even very ‘clever’ and ‘dangerous’ enemy. “The campaign against Meshud and Taliban in Swat and Waziristan has a positive impact on the situation in Pakistan, where the suicide attacks have come down drastically,” he said.

“If the Pakistan military continues to be driven by the same will and desire, then we may see the elimination of Maulana Fazlullah, the Taliban chief in Swat,” the security experts say.

The Pakistan military, through their offensive against Taliban and Meshud, according to political observers, have proved their utility to US and are growing in stature. “Now US will have to bank more on Pakistan for the success of ‘War on terror’. In the near future, the US may also have to provide drones to Pakistan military to let it independently target Taliban and Al-Qaida elements within the country,” they said.

(The author is a journalist based in Indian administered Kashmir and can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Fayaz Wani

 

[ejaz007]

PM Gilani arrives in Swat
Updated at: 1200 PST, Monday, August 10, 2009


SWAT: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Army Chief Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani reached Swat.

Major General Ashfaq Nadeem, incharge of operation ‘ Rah-e-Raast ‘ briefed prime minister about Swat operation and IDPs return at Circuit House.

Chief minister NWFP Ameer Haider Hoti, Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani and other ministers also present in the briefing.

PM Gilani arrives in Swat

 

[Khalids]

Life is coming to normal in Sawat.

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[Xeric]

ONLINE - International News Network

Canada announces additional 25 million Canadian dollars for IDPs

ISLAMABAD: Canadian government has announced additional 25 million dollars in aid for relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people of Swat and Malakand.

The decision was conveyed by Ms. Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation Canada during a call on President Asif Ali Zardari here Monday at the Presidency.

The Canadian delegation besides Ms. Beverley J. Oda comprised Mr. Randolph Mank, Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan and Ms. Francoise Ducros, Vice President, Afghanistan, Pakistan Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and other officials of the Canadian External Affairs Ministry.

Those who attended the meeting included Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr. Farrukh Qayum, Secretary EAD and other senior officials.

Talking to journalists Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar siad that the President while thanking the Canadian government for its gesture expressed the hope that Canada will further enhance its presence in Pakistan particularly in the education sector and poverty alleviation. The President also lauded the 449 million dollars debt swap agreement with Canada for education.

Farhatullah Babar said that this was the highest ever debt swap by the Canadian government.

President Asif Ali Zardari while talking to the Canadian Minister informed her of Pakistan’s position on Pak-Afghan border issue. He thanked the Canadian government for its Border Management initiative. He urged the Canadian government to actively participate in the energy cluster of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) initiative.

Ms. Beverley J. Oda assured support of her government in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the displaced people and said that Canadian government through CIDA is already working on various projects in Pakistan and wants to further enhance its economic cooperation.

The visiting Canadian minister said that the purpose of her visit was to further deepen the relations between the two countries and also to extend additional support to the internally displaced people.

The President appreciated support of the Canadian government for the relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people and said that Pakistan enjoys close bilateral ties with Canada and stressed for further enhancing the level of cooperation between the two countries in socio economic, trade and commercial fields.

Farhatullah Babar said that later the President advised the government to devise a viable developmental project in Swat utilizing the additional 25 million dollars Canadian assistance that benefited maximum number of the people of the area.

 

[Xeric]

Reporter escapes Taliban death sentence - CNN.com

Reporter escapes Taliban death sentence

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Zarghon Shah is a man who knows just how lucky he is to be alive.

He came face-to-face with the feared Taliban fighters of Pakistan's Swat Valley, was ordered to be executed and gained a chilling insight into the mind of a fearsome militant who has waged a campaign of terror.

"I saw two Taliban standing there then I realized the danger, that we were in a wrong place," Zarghon said.

It was May this year when the TV reporter and his crew, reporting on the Taliban's uprising, strayed too far.

Zarghon, his cameraman and driver were captured in Buner, taken to an empty room and put on trial by a Taliban commander.

"He said you are telling lies; you are spies. It is because of you hell has been unleashed on us ... and it is you, the media, who is responsible for this war. I'm not going to spare you, I will slit your throat."

Then with a death sentence on his head, Zarghon and his crew were left alone for five hours -- an agonizing wait.

"We were just counting our moments to death." Zarghon told me.

And he knew it would be a most gruesome, horrible death.

He pictured his body, beheaded and hanging from Swat Valley's notorious "slaughter square" -- the town center of Mingora city, where the Taliban would display the bodies of their victims.

Zarghon said he just paced the floor unable to even look at his colleagues.

He wondered who would be first to be killed and he thought of the most precious thing in his life -- his daughter Noor.

It is now that Zarghon broke down in tears, remembering how he thought he would never see her again.

Zarghon's fate rested in the hands of a man known for his campaign of terror, Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah. Fazlullah had captured the Swat Valley and moved his fighters into territory ever closer to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

Zarghon was handed a walkie-talkie. On the other end the very man who held Zarghon's life in his hand -- Fazlullah.

Zarghon's cameraman filmed the conversation all the while under the watch of a heavily armed Taliban fighter.

Fazlullah's voice was clearly heard: agitated and with a message of defiance to Pakistan's army.

"Our women and children have been displaced." He said. "There has been bloodshed. It is an insult to our nation. If they want to fight us then come to our mountains and see our strength and power."

The footage shows Zarghon clearly under pressure, gulping heavily, but with the presence of mind to question the Taliban leader. "What will end the fighting?" he asked.

Fazlullah demanded nothing less than the implementation of strict shariah or Islamic law. If not, the Taliban would fight to the death, he said.

"If the army has the ability to fight us: come to the mountains. The Taliban is in the mountains, we are committed to our cause. Nobody can defeat us," he said.

Yet the hardline Fazlullah did something that still puzzles Zarghon. He freed the TV crew, effectively commuting the execution order -- but there was a catch.

The Taliban instructed them to film destruction they say was caused by the Pakistan army.

On the footage you can hear gunfire and mortar rounds. Taliban fighters are clearly visible. Zarghon reports to camera, taking shelter behind a building.

The footage was meant to be propaganda for the Taliban. Not long after it was shot, Pakistan's army launched an offensive driving the Taliban from their stronghold.

Fazlullah escaped. Despite rumors he was wounded he continues to command his troops from the mountains.
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For Zarghon, doing the Taliban's bidding was the price of freedom. It saved his life and gave him back to his wife, son and daughter.

"The most beautiful gift of my life was this, when I returned home and I saw my family, my wife and children again," he said before retreating into a silence and remembering the moment when he faced death and survived.

 

[Xeric]

DAWN.COM | Provinces | Terrorists defeated, Gilani declares in Swat

Terrorists defeated, Gilani declares in Swat

Tuesday, 11 Aug, 2009 | 03:02 AM PST |

SWAT: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Monday that terrorists were on the run and they would be eliminated soon.

Addressing a gathering of elders on his first visit to Swat since the return of displaced persons, he said the government had to launch military operation to enforce its writ.

He said that no one would now be allowed to dishonour women, stop them from getting education, make their lives miserable and create lawlessness.

He said: ‘Terrorists are on the run and they are divided’ with their leader presumed dead.

‘Pakistan’s existence and sovereignty are above everything and we will never compromise on security and wellbeing of our people.’

Mr Gilani urged the people of Swat and Malakand to be wary of ‘black sheep’ who might mislead them and create problems for them and the country.

NWFP Governor Owais Ghani, Chief Minister Amir Haider Hoti and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also attended the meeting.

The prime minister said the Swat valley was more beautiful than Switzerland and vowed to revive its tourism industry.

He urged people to come up with suggestions to revive business activities and assured them of complete government support.

He said the government would soon announce a special package for Swat which would include reconstruction, rehabilitation of the affected people and initiate new development projects.

Mr Gilani announced the setting up of the office of the National Vocational & Technical Education Commission in Swat and relaxation of the age-limit to 28 years and lowering the minimum educational qualification to bachelors for local youths to get skilled training with a monthly stipend of Rs10,000.

He also announced construction of Dargai-Mingora dual carriageway and said funds for the project would be sought from the Friends of Democratic Pakistan.

The prime minister ordered early payment of compensation to displaced persons, including those who had not left Swat. He praised the people who had taken part in the military operation.

He asked each of the four provincial chief ministers to nominate a minister to represent their provinces at a flag-hoisting ceremony to be held in Swat on August 14.

He assured the people of Swat, Malakand and adjoining areas that the government would take all measures to provide best possible facilities to them.

Mr Gilani expressed the hope that peace would soon be restored and said that the government had geared up its machinery to rebuild the affected areas.

He said it was essential for the new generation to differentiate between the right and the wrong.

The prime minister and the Punjab chief minister were earlier received in Mingora by Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Mr Gilani and General Kayani were briefed by the corps commander and the commissioner of Malakand division on the status of operation Rah-i-Rast and security environment in the area.

Addressing a gathering of army jawans, the prime minister said: ‘I am confident that your presence in the area will not only discourage regrouping of anti-state elements but also improve the pace of development in the area.’

He paid rich tribute to the jawans who laid down their lives for eliminating extremists and terrorists from the Malakand division.

Mr Gilani said the army had successfully completed the first phase of its mission and expressed the hope that it would overcome the challenges of displaced persons’ rehabilitation in collaboration with the local administration.

He said the government was pursuing a policy of reconciliation and consultation with all institutions.

‘When militants tried to damage the national sovereignty, the government, army and nation with their exemplary unity broke their back,’ he said.

The prime minister visited a girls school in Mingora where he was greeted by students with slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

He announced upgradation of the school from secondary to higher secondary level. He interacted with the students and listened to their problems.—APP