Operation Tirah Valley | News & Updates

[EyelessInGaza]

The strategy seems to be to first take the mountain tops on both sides, then advance down simultaneously from both sides toward the deep valley. Attack from above.

Slightly Off topic: Comparisons are odious and I have very little knowledge about Tirah. But the moment I first read about the fighting at Tirah, with it's high mountains, valleys, an entrenched enemy holding the peaks, and a logistics base extending into a neighbouring country, I thought - 'mini Kargil' ops. Perhaps the military solutions will also need to be similar, it would be interesting to see.

More On topic: If the strategy is to take the mountain tops, how are they going about it? It seems to me that they'll have to either go up the closest mountain first, from a number of directions of possible, and then the next mountain and so on. Or helicopter in troops near the summits (I do not have a military background this does not sound too feasible even as I write it)? Or a combination of the two?

 

[DV RULES]

Slightly Off topic: Comparisons are odious and I have very little knowledge about Tirah. But the moment I first read about the fighting at Tirah, with it's high mountains, valleys, an entrenched enemy holding the peaks, and a logistics base extending into a neighbouring country, I thought - 'mini Kargil' ops. Perhaps the military solutions will also need to be similar, it would be interesting to see.

More On topic: If the strategy is to take the mountain tops, how are they going about it? It seems to me that they'll have to either go up the closest mountain first, from a number of directions of possible, and then the next mountain and so on. Or helicopter in troops near the summits (I do not have a military background this does not sound too feasible even as I write it)? Or a combination of the two?

Well, if you looked at area map then you came to know that hot point lies in between high mountains and PAK-Afghan border is at some distance in the north with snow covered peaks. So, there could be only assumptions to be made that either PA deliberately left that place empty unchecked or they are fighting with those who once fled from Orakzai and southern lower Kurram operation and now they have no way to go but fight on end point. It cannot possible to maintain long and difficult terrain supply rout when you covered from almost 4 sides. @Abu Zolfiqar can draw a real sketch of area.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Just found this post of taimi khan sahab, he is in peshawer and is well-connected with army, it explains things,


So army is hiding real casualties figures to prevent demoralization effect among soldiers...they always do so but in my opinion they should never have leaked initial death tolls to begin with.

It seems you just picked my this post and left out the other posts from other members which quoted ISPR / media outlets confirming the casualties. If you can see my posts before the one you quoted, i did told the whole procedure which happens before ISPR is able to confirm the casualties. In this case also, once all the formalities were performed, then ISPR confirmed the casualties, thus they have not hidden anything for any purpose, they just released the info once the bodies had been dispatched to their hometowns.

 

[Gentelman]

Slightly Off topic: Comparisons are odious and I have very little knowledge about Tirah. But the moment I first read about the fighting at Tirah, with it's high mountains, valleys, an entrenched enemy holding the peaks, and a logistics base extending into a neighbouring country, I thought - 'mini Kargil' ops. Perhaps the military solutions will also need to be similar, it would be interesting to see.

More On topic: If the strategy is to take the mountain tops, how are they going about it? It seems to me that they'll have to either go up the closest mountain first, from a number of directions of possible, and then the next mountain and so on. Or helicopter in troops near the summits (I do not have a military background this does not sound too feasible even as I write it)? Or a combination of the two?

Sire respectfully your info is not too good about Tirah………
These mountains are much different frm Kargil and helis cannot be used there expect as gunship because of dense forest………
there ar many bushes and trees there and i will say that this operation is started later……
PA should not give them chance to build caves and positions there and should attack earlier…
there must be a negligence or intellegence failure……
wll this is not like mountain battle if it was that type than i am sure that NLI would be assigned there……ツ

 

[EyelessInGaza]

Sire respectfully your info is not too good about Tirah………
These mountains are much different frm Kargil and helis cannot be used there expect as gunship because of dense forest………
there ar many bushes and trees there and i will say that this operation is started later……
PA should not give them chance to build caves and positions there and should attack earlier…
there must be a negligence or intellegence failure……
wll this is not like mountain battle if it was that type than i am sure that NLI would be assigned there……ツ

Thanks for the clarification. All good points, and yes an exact comparison is wrong. Kargil was mostly bare, mountain territory, while Tirah seems to be forested. But broad terms I think there are some similarities.

It's also a great point that the NLI could have been assigned to this battle had the terrain been the same; but there may be other reasons which I won't go into (as they are purely speculative).

 

[datalibdaz]

Mangal Bagh and his co have been staying in Tirah comfortably since 2008, Before they were located in Bara...Since 2008 they have made permanent bases in Tirah valley...Caves that run deep inside mountains with single entrance and multiple exits...hidden by trees and bushes...Lashkar Islam and Ansarul Islam has clashes before where PA army did support AI, but same time allowed LI escape back to Tirah...Why were they let go than and what made the army now go back and fight them again...Apart of this there are many other Talib Faction's that have surrounded by army in waziristan, but neither any talib is firing a bullet nor Army is moving an inch forward...

 

[ejaz007]

15 militants killed in Khyber Agency

RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed fifteen militants in clashes that took place in Khyber Agency, Geo News reported Thursday.

According to a statement issued by ISPR, security forces took action against militants in Tirah Valley and during action, 15 extremists were killed.

During the clashes with militants, one troop was also martyred, sources added.

15 militants killed in Khyber Agency - thenews.com.pk

 

[forcetrip]

Thanks for the clarification. All good points, and yes an exact comparison is wrong. Kargil was mostly bare, mountain territory, while Tirah seems to be forested. But broad terms I think there are some similarities.

It's also a great point that the NLI could have been assigned to this battle had the terrain been the same; but there may be other reasons which I won't go into (as they are purely speculative).

Civilians, no line of sight to targets, uncommon is the knowledge how projectiles work specially from artillery shells. This is nothing like Kargil. Supply lines are exactly the same as what the enemy use eroding any advantage a professional army can have. This is as close to 14th century warfare as you can get as most battles take place less that 50-100 meters because of the terrain. Even calling in fresh troops takes forever from operating bases.

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

I dont know anything about military but cannot artillery like bofors gun target the militants camps on high ground like in kargil where it was routinely used to flush out militants.

 

[TVVELVEMO$]

Commiserations for the unusually heavy losses in this newest battlefield of Tirah Valley.

Observations at first blush:

By default special forces ought not to be caught in a trap as it has happened here. Special forces are deployed after careful intel, recon and planning. Pakistan has her own eyes in the sky for day-and-night operations. Were any air assets deployed to sniff out such traps? Were there any reinforcements available to deploy in such a scenario? Did the Tactical commander(s) underestimate the enemy? Did he let his guard down? Should this have been a night raid instead?

ISAF planners have looked at Tirah since early days with considerable unease - too many foreigners embedded amongst Pak tribesmen. Starting in 2004, conversations have been held with many Pakistani counterparts regarding the Achilles heel like situation in Tirah. This should NOT have happened.

I do not wish to indulge in schadenfreude but Pakistan must not underestimate these loose-cannon warriors roaming freely in your back yard. One way or the other Pakistan will have to do something about it.

Before 2014 it can be with cooperation from the world's most technologically advanced army, with powerful Intel and surveillance means available with near instantaneous back up with overwhelming kinetic force.
After 2015, it will be on your own terms that you will have to size up this International Jehad Inc. and deal with it - you will own it. The good Taliban will not be very helpful in this case.

Footnote: Please keep any snipes about "US doing all this to destroy Pakistan", out of this discussion.

 

[haviZsultan]

Those militants need to be eliminated once and for all... but I don't see any sucess. I have studied the war on terror and done extensive research on terrorism and the leaders of this insurgency. I haven't come across one single commander who has been killed, wounded or arrested by the army. Its unfortunate that the top leaders of the Taliban escape each and every time. These militants must be eliminated completely. They do not deserve to breathe the air of our beautiful Pakistan.

 

[forcetrip]

I dont know anything about military but cannot artillery like bofors gun target the militants camps on high ground like in kargil where it was routinely used to flush out militants.

I wish I wasnt lazy enough to draw. I_-I__I_-I <-- . thats the best i can do .. The I's are elevated terrain ontop of mountains and obviously everyone knows what valley means.

 

[uzair ramay]

may Allah help pakistan and pakistan army.but the strange thing is this if these militants are muslim what they want from us.if they want real jihad then they must go to phalistine and fight with israelise i think that will b considered as a jihad..

 

[ExtraOdinary]

From what I have seen in the past, every time Pak army go on an offensive they succeed in routing the TTP tactically but these guys run/scamper off to neighbouring agencies, regroup and are back after few months. Why are'nt their escape routes being blocked?

 

[StormShadow]

From what I have seen in the past, every time Pak army go on an offensive they succeed in routing the TTP tactically but these guys run/scamper off to neighbouring agencies, regroup and are back after few months. Why are'nt their escape routes being blocked?

If India decides to launch an operation like this in Kashmir, do you think India would be able to block the terrorist's escape route to pak?