Operation Rah-e-Rast (Swat)

[fatman17]

Second Editorial: The journey home

“Experts” who said it would take 10 years to pacify Malakand and send the displaced persons back home will be surprised by the speed with which the terrorists of Fazlullah have retreated in the face of the first resolute military action against them. The refugees have started going back; and, despite the negative glance of the media, more have returned than were expected to on the first day. Expect more negative coverage after they get home and face the unavoidable hardship of resettlement. In fact the tough part of the job is going to begin now.

As a very competent General Nadeem Ahmad of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) said on TV, he had made arrangements for over 2,000 families to leave the camp on Monday, but more than that number actually made it to their homes. The police escorted the families leaving the Jalozai camp and Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti escorted the ones leaving the Charsadda camp. Two million people had to be looked after amid scenes of extreme disorganisation but when the final verdict is in from the international community, the effort will be lauded. People still complain that they did not get the Rs 25,000 grant promised by the government to each family. But in the end most things will slowly fall in place.

There are still areas in Dir where Fazlullah’s men are present in pockets but General Nadeem’s plea that the administrative machinery laid down in the rest of Malakand is capable of looking after the population must be heeded too. People don’t want to live under the Taliban again; but their plight in the refugee camps in Pakistan’s hot summer was also a kind of attrition that could have defeated the military operation. President Asif Zardari is already anticipating the difficulties of rehabilitation in his appeals to the international community, while the PPP government is strapped for cash, can’t pay for its imports and for the electricity made for it by the IPPs. The world has promised to help but finally it is all Pakistan’s own battle to win. The first phase is sucessfully over. *

http://www.thedailytimes.com.pk

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 AM ----------

Lashkar kills 23 Taliban in Mohmand clashes

* Three villagers missing after gunbattle
* Security forces kill 9 Taliban, arrest eight others in Swat

GHALANAI/KHAR/ RAWALPINDI: A tribal lashkar killed 23 Taliban during clashes in the Kohimoor area of Ambaar tehsil in Mohmand Agency on Tuesday.

Syed Ahmad Jan, a senior regional administrator, told the Associated Press that local tribal militia had asked the Taliban to leave the area on Monday. The Taliban refused, sparking a gunbattle that continued until Tuesday morning, he added. Four lashkar members were wounded in the fight, while 20 men were killed. Three Taliban were arrested, but one of them committed suicide while the other two were executed by the lashkar.

Another administration official, Muhammad Rasul Khan, told AFP three villagers were missing after the clashes. “The laskhar fought very well and the Taliban are on the run,” he added.

Nine killed: Separately, the Inter-Services Public Relations revealed that security forces had killed nine Taliban and arrested eight others during search operations throughout Swat in the past 24 hours. Sources claimed 60 Taliban had been arrested at Qandharo in Safi tehsil.

mukarram khan/agencies

 

[Javed3]

blain2 is right "What we face around the LoC and at Siachen is very different from the types of operations needed in FATA. In FATA, you do not know who the enemy is. Secondly, its so vast and sparsely populated that you cannot be looking everywhere and have presence everywhere."

It is not easy to sustain scorched earth policy on your own territory, no matter how "Loyal" the Army is how much FIBUA training is done.

The main problem is that PA is not secular enough. You still find soldiers / officers sporting beards and regularly saying their prayers. The primary motivation of PA still remains highly Indo-centric, which is kinda irrelevant these days.

 

[fatman17]

blain2 is right "What we face around the LoC and at Siachen is very different from the types of operations needed in FATA. In FATA, you do not know who the enemy is. Secondly, its so vast and sparsely populated that you cannot be looking everywhere and have presence everywhere."

It is not easy to sustain scorched earth policy on your own territory, no matter how "Loyal" the Army is how much FIBUA training is done.

The main problem is that PA is not secular enough. You still find soldiers / officers sporting beards and regularly saying their prayers. The primary motivation of PA still remains highly Indo-centric, which is kinda irrelevant these days.[/QUOTE]

oh really!

 

[ajpirzada]

Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti escorted the ones leaving the Charsadda camp.

this is really encouraging.

 

[Javed3]

Yes fatman17 that's the fact:
As regards Taliban, the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India have shared objectives. Eradication of fundamentalist extremism is the Primary mission for everybody. President Zardari is on the record stating that India is no more a threat. India with its secularist credentials is our natural ally.
The British Forward area policies in FATA successfully practiced from 1880-1947 relied on the resources of a United British Indian Army. A hundred years later the same players are playing the same roles once again. Tribesmen in FATA and Swat are the common enemy, and the forces of moderation / stabilization are united under the US leadership.

 

[ajpirzada]

^^tribesmen??????
lol
havent u read the statements comin from ppl who are sayin they want gov to kill all the talibans.

 

[Patriot]

The main problem is that PA is not secular enough. You still find soldiers / officers sporting beards and regularly saying their prayers.

Yes, and what's wrong with that?If our society is religious then expect Soldiers to be religious too and not every man with a beard is Taliban.By your theory half of Pakistan Population is extremist and Talibans!!

 

[ajpirzada]

MUST READ




Swat diary: 'Taliban defeated'


Displaced people have started to return to their homes in Swat


Munir (not his real name), an administrator in the Swat region of Pakistan, whose family fled the conflict there in early May, spent the last two months living in the outskirts of Mardan. After hearing positive stories from relatives and friends back home, he is now preparing to return to his village hoping for a new beginning.



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Yesterday, on the main road that leads to Swat I saw many people and vehicles preparing to leave. People were saying good bye and were thanking their Mardan hosts for their hospitality.
We will go back to Swat very soon, probably in about 20 days. First we want to make sure it's safe. My father will go on his own in a couple of days to see how things are in our village.

We are already getting many reports from our villagers and friends back in Swat. Life is still difficult, but things are getting better.

We were told that 45 houses belonging to militants in our village have been destroyed. Our house, which is in the centre of the village, is apparently fine.

I spoke on the phone to someone from our village, who couldn't manage to escape because of the curfew. Because there were militants in our village his family moved to another one, not far from Mingora.

He told me that the peace committee, which is made up of local elders, is not distributing the aid donated by NGOs to the poor people. Instead it ends up in the hands of the families of the members.

When I spoke to my uncle a few days ago, he said that the biggest problem there is that it is very expensive(once ppl return and curfew is fully lifted, prices will return back to normal). The prices of daily necessities are double compared to those in the rest of Pakistan. People are really struggling. Those are poor villagers, they don't have money. God knows how they survive and what they eat.

A villager from our area came last week to Mardan. He told me that there are some militants in that village and that the army is not taking action against them because there are many innocent people and they don't want to inflict casualties(and these are they millitants who need to be taken care by locals or police). Villagers are still not feeling secure because of the presence of militants.

'Taliban defeated'

I've got a friend who works for the police, he is now in Mingora. I bumped into him by chance a few days ago. He had come here to Mardan seven days ago to see his family and went back to Mingora two days later. We talked at length.

He said that the security situation had improved. The army there said that the only way they can defeat the militants is with the support of the ordinary people. So there's a lot less fear and people feel much more confident.

He told me that he went to Saidu Sharif one day. The army issued an invitation through loud speakers to residents to go to houses known to belong to militants and help themselves to anything useful they could find there. So people went and took all kinds of things lol:ppl collecting mal-e-ghanemat) - washing machines and other household items. In the end, the army destroyed those houses.

A different story: someone was arrested in Mingora, accused of being a militant. The army took him to his village and asked three local people to confirm whether he is indeed a militant. Three people confirmed. They shot him on the spot(awesome. no need to keep them in prison). People were very happy.

People are confident now and they have learnt a lot from their experiences. They know that they need to be more united against the militants. They won't allow the militants to return again.

They'll chase them out themselves, they'll shoot them, they won't wait for the army to do that. People will take revenge for all the bad things that have happened(yes now its own turn u asshole TTP swat).

One militant commander was chased by the people here in Mardan. I witnessed the chase. He managed to escaped this time(ya maybe he has gone to get OBL whom they invited once). But what I am saying is that people are taking things into their own hands.

In one year's time, many militants will be killed - not by the army, but by the people of Swat(exactly. this is wat we want). The Taliban are defeated. They are not going to come back.

We are very confident. My family are already talking about arranging my wedding within one or two months after our return to Swat. I myself see a wedding in November(so thats the reason y he is so happy ).


BBC NEWS | South Asia | Swat diary: 'Taliban defeated'

 

[ajpirzada]

Wanted militants’ commander killed in Malakand: ISPR


ISLAMABAD (updated on: July 15, 2009, 15:53 PST): Security forces in an ongoing operation in Swat and Malakand division on Wednesday have killed most wanted militant leader of Peochar Abu Laith, meanwhile another terrorist commander Ismail, resident of village Goal Sakhra voluntarily surrendered himself to security forces through local nazim, said ISPR press release.

According to press release, locals of village Sandoka near Thana detained three out of five terrorists and later handed them over to security forces.

Security forces also conducted search operation at Reema and killed three terrorists.

Search operation was also conducted at Aghal area, Chuprial and recovered seven machine guns with two magazines including ammunition, four rifles and one pistol; one terrorist was killed during the operation.

During another search operation at Akhund Kalle near Kabbal security forces killed eight terrorists including two foreigners. One soldier was martyred and three soldiers including an officer were injured during exchange of fire.

In Darra Adam Khel terrorists fire raided a security forces check post near Kohat tunnel with mortars and rockets, which was effectively responded. Security forces apprehended 11 terrorists including local commander Rafi ud Din and recovered 82 millimeter mortar, RPG-7 and a machine gun along with ammunition.

Exchange of fire also took place in Mohmand Agency between local Laskhar and terrorists at Amber, resultantly 15 terrorists were killed.

Meanwhile 15, 0969 cash cards have been distributed amongst the IDPs of Malakand during the relief activities.

677 vehicles carried 2296 families and 122 trucks moved to Malakand and 30 civil trucks were provided by security forces to civil fruit vendors for transportation of fruits from Khawazakhela.
Wanted militants’ commander killed in Malakand: ISPR : Business Recorder | LATEST NEWS

 

[ajpirzada]

Taliban’s jail in 50 ft long cave unearthed in Shamozai
Updated at: 2022 PST, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
MINGORA: Security forces have almost cleared tehsils Barikot and Kabal of militants.

Journalists were also guided to the hidden dens of the militants and were allowed to pay a visit to a cave which was said to be used for dwelling and as a private jail by the militants.

Security forces have killed 8 terrorists in a search operation conducted in Zora area of Tehsil Kabal. A security man was also killed and three personnel were injured including a major.

Heavy ammunitions including explosives, weapons, detonators besides foreign currency, ID cards and audio tapes of Maulana Fazlullah’s speeches were recovered in the operation.

Taliban’s jail in 50 ft long cave unearthed in Shamozai - GEO.tv

 

[Patriot]

Nizam-e-Adal regulation will be valid in Swat as people of swat of want quick justice..Also NLI unit of Army was used in this operation.

 

[fatman17]

Yes fatman17 that's the fact:
As regards Taliban, the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India have shared objectives. Eradication of fundamentalist extremism is the Primary mission for everybody. President Zardari is on the record stating that India is no more a threat. India with its secularist credentials is our natural ally.
The British Forward area policies in FATA successfully practiced from 1880-1947 relied on the resources of a United British Indian Army. A hundred years later the same players are playing the same roles once again. Tribesmen in FATA and Swat are the common enemy, and the forces of moderation / stabilization are united under the US leadership.

if you buy all of that then, I have a bridge in the gobi desert I would very much like to sell you!

 

[Patriot]

Javed3 if we implement your policies then Pushtunistan would become a reality!

 

[fatman17]

Mi-24V 'Hind-E'

Pakistan Army Aviation Corps 1

- Note: Captured ex-Afghan example believed to have been in recent use in military operations in NWFP.

ref; AirForceIntel.com

 

[fatman17]

Diplomatic Corps: Swat triumph talk of French National Day reception

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of France Daniel Jouanneau hosted a reception on Tuesday at a local hotel to celebrate the French National Day. A large number of people including diplomats, government officials, bureaucrats, military officers, politicians, businessmen, people form French speaking community and journalists attended the reception. The government was officially represented by the Minister for Industries Manzor Wattoo, who was the chief guest and performed the cake cutting ceremony with the French ambassador. The reception began with playing of the national anthems of France and Pakistan. All the guests stood silent in respect of the two anthems. Every year, the National Day of France is observed on July 14 in remembrance the storming of Bastille in Paris in 1789, which marked the beginning of the French revolution and following bloody years. In France, the Bastille Day is called Fête Nationale (National Celebration) in official parlance, or more commonly le quatorze juillet. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Festivities are held on the morning of July 14 on the Champs-Élysées Avenue in Paris in front of the French president. The president used to give an interview to members of the press, discussing the situation of the country, recent events and projects for the future. Nicolas Sarkozy, elected president in 2007, has chosen not to follow the tradition this year as he held a garden party at the Palais de l’Elysée. Article 17 of the Constitution of France gives the president the authority to pardon offenders, and since 1991 the president has pardoned many petty offenders on July 14 every year, but Sarkozy discontinued the practice in 2007. The guests at the reception were seen discussing the prevailing political situation of Pakistan. They took deep interest in the victory against Swat terrorists and the return of the people who were displaced by the fighting in Malakand region.

sajjad malik