Swat Operation II

[RabzonKhan]

Swat schools handed over to security forces

Saturday, January 24, 2009

SWAT: Security forces took the control of schools in Swat and established bunkers there on Saturday.

According to sources, the decision has been made to give the protection to schools. Five schools were destroyed in Mingora and suburbs during curfew few days ago created fear that remaining schools in these areas could face destruction.

Official figures stated that 174 schools were destroyed in Swat during last one and half year.

Meanwhile, security forces action against militants continued in Swat. Militants’ hideouts pounded by security forces in tehsil Matta and Charbagh last night. However, no loss of life was reported in the incident.

 

[RabzonKhan]

12 killed in Swat bombs, mortars

January 24, 2009

* Suicide bomber rams vehicle into security checkpost killing two soldiers

MINGORA: Twelve people, including women and children, were killed in latest acts of violence in Swat district on Friday.

Two security force personnel were killed and 25 others injured when a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a security checkpost, officials said.

Separately, a bomb went off when a security forces’ convoy was passing through Ingaro Dheri area of Mingora, injuring a soldier.

The security forces retaliated by firing, accidentally killing three civilians passing nearby.

Meanwhile, five members of a family, including a woman and three children, were killed when a mortar shell hit their house in Khawazakhela tehsil, locals said.

Also on Friday, two more people were killed and two others injured when their houses came under mortar attack in Kabal and Matta tehsils of Swat, a police official told AFP. saleem athar/afp

 

[RabzonKhan]

New Swat strategy ready: Malik

January 24, 2009

KARACHI: The government has prepared a fresh strategy to control the violence in Swat and the people will experience better results within a week, Interior Adviser Rehman Malik said on Friday. Talking to reporters at the Sindh Chief Minister’s House, Malik said the security situation in FATA was under control. “The operation in Swat will be conducted as terrorists have fled from FATA and are now hiding in various villages in the area,” he said.Malik said the federal government fully supported the provinces in maintaining law and order. “Any information about terrorists and criminals is being shared with the provinces,” Malik said. staff report

 

[Mujahid]

Saturday, January 24, 2009
Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: It may come as a great surprise for many to learn that the Swat militants, who have been bombing girls and boys schools indiscriminately, are so pained by the reported shifting of the Saidu Medical College from Mingora to Mardan that they are ready to kill and be killed to stop the move.

“Those who dared touch a single machinery of the college with the intention of shifting it would not find a safe place even in their own homes. We will kill them inside their homes wherever they are as we can’t tolerate shifting the college from here,” spokesman for Swat militants, Muslim Khan, told ‘The News’ by phone from an undisclosed location in the valley.

Though he often talks in a tough manner, Muslim Khan’s tone grew terribly harsh while talking about the alleged shifting of the college. Asked as to why they were so perturbed over the reported shifting of the medical college when they were against education and bombing schools, he refused to give reasons behind this decision. “Let the college be shifted, then we will tell why,” he said in a threatening tone. “One thing is for sure that we will not spare those who will shift the college.”

Muslim Khan was not alone to warn of action to save the medical college but the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Swat chapter’s deputy chief and presenter of the FM Radio also hurled threats directly at NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti. “Ameer Haider! You will face serious consequences if the college was shifted to Mardan,” he warned on his FM radio a couple of days ago, locals said.

The reason to hurl threat at chief minister is obvious as he is the administrative head of the province and hails from Mardan district where the college is allegedly being shifted. Opposition to the relocation of the college doesn’t mean that the militants are repenting the destruction of schools as Shah Dauran renewed their threat in these words, “All the schools in Swat valley will be destroyed as they are being used by the security forces as their camps and did not remain centres of learning anymore.”

Locals said the deputy leader of the militants also asked the Pesco and health officials to carry out their duty efficiently, warning of strict action if the call was not heeded.The decision of the militants with regard to the college is astounding in the wake of their known opposition to education, as they had banned girls’ education in the valley from January 15. They have already torched or bombed 181 schools across the valley.

It was unclear as to who had said that the medical college would be shifted from the militancy-hit Swat valley but the militants have been claiming for the last few days that the government intends to relocate the college.

This correspondent tried to talk to NWFP Health Minister Zahir Ali Shah to confirm the reported shifting of the college. Though contact was established, he was unwilling to talk and switched off the cellular phone. Many subsequent attempts to call him could not succeed.

When contacted, Provincial Minister for Environment Wajid Ali Khan said the college was not being shifted to any other city. “Medical college in Mardan is being constructed, while Abbottabad and other regions also have medical colleges,” he said.

However, he added, the college could be closed because of escalating violence in the valley as parents were worried about the safety of their children. “They (militants) should stop violence so that students attain education without fear,” he advised.

Militants vow ‘do or die’ battle

 

[Cheetah786]

They are not militants They are Terrorist please call them what they are and if government is backing down from killing this **** then government is behind them Quite frankly i hope american drones attacked are increased at least some one is doing some thing.

 

[S-2]

That's quite a story that illustrates much of what I've been saying.

Very near a tipping-point I fear.

 

[fatman17]

here is the govt's plan. they feel that the militants have been mostly driven out of bajaur and mohmand districts towards swat as they cannot flee across the border due to snow and the awaiting Nato/ISAF/US/Afghan forces. (some may still evade and cross-over). anyway once pushed into swat the army will be asked to go-in again and finish the job. sounds simple! so lets see how it pans out. the ops start soon!

 

[Anwar2]

“”here is the govt's plan. they feel that the militants have been mostly driven out of bajaur and mohmand districts towards swat as they cannot flee across the border due to snow and the awaiting Nato/ISAF/US/Afghan forces. (some may still evade and cross-over). anyway once pushed into swat the army will be asked to go-in again and finish the job. sounds simple! so lets see how it pans out. the ops start soon””!

That’s a bit amusing. Lets have a bit better idea of the geography of our own country!. Why would militants flee Mohmand and Bajaur to Swat? Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi are a lot better in this weather.

Please read Rehman Malik's new strategy story with a pinch of salt. Its been a long journey for him: presiding over human smuggling rings to the virtual Minister of Interior.

 

[Anwar2]

Cheetah786:
Call them “Terrorists” if you wish, that’s probably a more respectable word.
The French National anthem’s punch line is a praise for terrorism. George Washington, Charles de Gualle, Mao Tse Tung, Lenin were all “terrorists” at a certain point in history.

 

[Vinod2070]

^^ Are you equating them with people who are killing because a Salwar is not above the ankle length!

 

[Anwar2]

Thats a lot of BS.
During Taleban rule in Afghanistan a clip was shown on western media where a Taliban official in Kabul was hitting a woman with a stick on her hips. In 2002 after the collapse of Taliban it turned out that the clip was shot by RAWA NGO at a refugee camp in Bostan near Quetta!. The caste was all paid by RAWA!.

 

[Vinod2070]

^^ Are you denying this story as well as all the others of their burning the girl schools, music shops, forcing people to follow their version of Islam, throwing acid on girls etc.?

All of them can be proven with multiple sources easily!

 

[RescueRanger]

“”here is the govt's plan. they feel that the militants have been mostly driven out of bajaur and mohmand districts towards swat as they cannot flee across the border due to snow and the awaiting Nato/ISAF/US/Afghan forces. (some may still evade and cross-over). anyway once pushed into swat the army will be asked to go-in again and finish the job. sounds simple! so lets see how it pans out. the ops start soon””!

That’s a bit amusing. Lets have a bit better idea of the geography of our own country!. Why would militants flee Mohmand and Bajaur to Swat? Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi are a lot better in this weather.

Please read Rehman Malik's new strategy story with a pinch of salt. Its been a long journey for him: presiding over human smuggling rings to the virtual Minister of Interior.

Look at the map of the region, to cross over into SWAT from both Mohmand Agency or Bajur the can take on of two routes form Malakand to SWAT Valley or from Dir, both Dir and Malakand have people sympathetic to these so called "Talibs" secondly Mardan, Peshawar and Swabi have higher presence of Armed Forces. $

These include the headquarters for the Scouts, FC etc... Mardan is close to the Risalpur Cantonment as well as Peshawar, Swabi is controlled by several checkposts established by Police and FC, not to mention its close proximity to WAH and the nearby Peshawar and Nowshera .

Terrain and Teopgraphy:


Now if you examine the terrain of both Mardan and Swabi in the map posted above you will notice that most of the area has elevation bellow 500 meters and with very few depressions.

http://imageshack.us
http://g.imageshack.us/img300/swatroutemap150sjpgfk0.png/1/

Compare that to the terrain in SWAT and you will see a dramatic rise in elevation in some areas well above 3000 meters, touching close to 5000 meters in some areas.

This gives a fleeing force, tactical advantage as it is difficult for the pursuing force to maneuver its troops and ground assets effectively and loses mobility, where as a smaller and more mobile force such the the "taliban" can easily move around in this terrain and create save havens, it is classic guerilla warfare.

That is why the fight needs to be taken to the enemy, we need to show them that there is no safe haven for them inside Pakistan.

Inshallah we will be successful.

 

[S-2]

We know there's a radio station. Let's take a moment to see it's contribution to this unholy reign of terror that's descended upon SWAT-

Radio Spreads Taliban Terror In Pakistani Region-NYT

In many ways this story is a summary of those which we've been reviewing here over the last two weeks. It is a damning portrayal, though, when the parts are added. Moreover, this is the news that most Americans woke to this Sunday morning.

This article will be read with interest over coffee by many important eyes in Washington D.C. if not as fully briefed as we remain here at Def.pk.

It's summed nicely but reads badly for those who care...

 

[Anwar2]

Dear RescueRanger:
If insurgencies were dependent on terrain cover alone, there would have been no war in Vietnam. Please look at the topography of Mekong delta, which is mostly about 30 ft AMSL.
Whenever national Army is used against its own citizens there is a cascading effect. Garrisons or cantonments do not help, nor the number of boots on ground. A professional Army should never be used to conquer its own people or territory.

The only solution is to restore the writ of the State of Pakistan in Islamabad. Restore the dignity of Pakistan Armed Forces. They should not be misused as surrogates.