Swat Operation II

[blain2]

Whats the problem let them live me in Shariah laws........

Absolutely...however the issue is not Sharia law alone.

 

[EagleEyes]

Burning schools is not in the sharia law. That is the question mark!

 

[IceCold]

There is no point in incomplete operations. The operation conducted in Swat should have one clear objective in mind and that is too take out that FM mullah, and it should be fast and quick before the jirgas fall in to initiate a peace deal and every progress that has been made so far is flushed down the toilet drain like it happened the last time an operation was conducted in Swat.

 

[IceCold]

Whats the problem let them live me in Shariah laws........

have you not read or heard the news that despite of the efforts made by the sirhad government and asking repeatedly for suggestions and the work out plan from the Mullah, he did not respond which clearly signifies that the *** hole is not interested in the Shariat at all instead he's following some other agenda here.

 

[Awesome]

I used to frequent Swat as a kid. They had beautiful valleys, amazing food. There wasn't an inkling of extremist presence there.

These are outsiders and not locals.

But the government's confused. Sometimes they say they will abandon military action and then sometimes they want to do such heavy mobilizations like these. Choose a strategy and stick to it!

 

[fatman17]

I used to frequent Swat as a kid. They had beautiful valleys, amazing food. There wasn't an inkling of extremist presence there.

These are outsiders and not locals.

But the government's confused. Sometimes they say they will abandon military action and then sometimes they want to do such heavy mobilizations like these. Choose a strategy and stick to it!

i couldnt agree more - this waffling back and forth gives the militants time to re-group and replenish their losses in men and materials.

 

[Interceptor]

Absolutely...however the issue is not Sharia law alone.

This is strategy planned by the government to lower the tension between the fundamentalist, the group that is exerting violence has demanded for sharia, what the strategy is based upon will deliver the demand for sharia, so this will take away their call and slogan for sharia, the government will be more able to put its writ in the region, and when the group has no slogan it will soon show its real colours by which the government will easily target them if they cause havoc again. Remember blain these groups thrive on a cause, take that cause away, and you will discover the real animal behind it.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

This is strategy planned by the government to lower the tension between the fundamentalist, the group that is exerting violence has demanded for sharia, what the strategy is based upon will deliver the demand for sharia, so this will take away their call and slogan for sharia, the government will be more able to put its writ in the region, and when the group has no slogan it will soon show its real colours by which the government will easily target them if they cause havoc again. Remember blain these groups thrive on a cause, take that cause away, and you will discover the real animal behind it.

Interceptor,

"Shariah" is not the cause. In the swat thread I posted a statement from an ANP minister that stated that Mullah FM was not interested in Shariah, since he had given no response to the governments offer for talks on the Shariah Bill that is currently waiting to be implemented.

The TNSM and other older political Islamist organizations may be interested in 'shariah' - the new gen. Taliban of Mullah FM and B Mehsud are not.

Remember that the government has decided in principle (both this one and Musharraf, since the bill was devised under his government) to implement Shariah. There should be no question of the militants disarming - they have not, nor have they shown interest in "shariah"

It is just a propaganda tool to justify their cause, which seems to be entirely about burning schools (which is what they are reduced to doing now, while getting thrashed by the Army and FC).

See the US blamed for supporting Terrorism in Pakistan thread.

Not every group has a cause that can be negotiated with - sometimes force is the only option left. The door should be left open for any militants who renounce violence, but they need to disarm or be eliminated now. They were given chances for 'dialog' and they showed their true light.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

No one is breaking Pakistan.

I am surprised that people feel Pakistan is a pack of card where huffing and puffing can collapse it.

Paksitan is an entity and it shall last.

Both India and Pakistan have internal problems. India being a large country and a better economy can absorb the problems, and More importantly, since India has too many subnational entities, none can act as the ''sole inheritor"! Pakistan, being smaller and because there is a feeling, rightly or wrongly, that there is a ''sole inheritor'' amongst its people, possibly cannot.

Unless Pakistan reconciles to it multi ethnic paradigm, it will be having these problems. There is no group of people uber alles!

This should have been addressed long ago. Now, it has embedded itself in the psyche of those who feel deprived. It is a long haul.

It is fine for Pakistani to blame India for Bangladesh, but then it is the same superiority of one community over the others that creates the divide.

Islam is a powerful binder and I have no doubts about that. If that can be relegated, then there is something seriously wrong.

Instead of wasting time on semantics, it is time to realise and accept reality!

'Huffing and puffing' does not mean Pakistan will collapse - but that does not mean that the 'huffing and puffing' should not be pointed out, its dynamics explored, and the perpetrators unmasked. To that goal, exploring the differences between the TTP and the other Taliban groups is important.

Exploring the dynamics of the various Taliban groups is not semantics, as is illustrated quite well by the article posted in the "US told not to back terrorism against Pakistan" thread.

I am not sure what the point of bringing in " superiority of communities" has to do with my posts, or this thread. Do you think I am advocating the superiority of one community over another?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Threads merged

 

[RabzonKhan]

Swat militants’ onslaught on girls schools continues

MINGORA, Aug 5: Artillery shells killed a child and a woman and militants set on fire four more girls’ schools in Swat on Tuesday.

Security forces pounded militants’ hideouts in Matta, Kabal and Charbagh as clashes continued for a seventh day.

In Koree and Labut areas, the woman and the child were killed and a number of houses were hit by mortar shells.

Militants torched the four girls’ schools in Shakardar, Zangi, Dherai Baba and Tahirabad. Records of 750 girl students, three computers, offices of headmistresses, teachers and clerks’ rooms and laboratories were reduced to ashes. Exodus continued from Kabal, Matta and Charbagh. A curfew in place was relaxed from 6am to 7pm in the valley, except Kabal and Matta.

 

[RabzonKhan]

spokesman Maulvi Omar said that a ‘Fidayeen Squad’, comprising 10- to 20-year-old boys and girls, was ready to carry out the attacks

These people are barbarians.



TTP threatens to launch suicide attacks across country

By Anwarullah Khan
KHAR, Aug 5: Highly-motivated ‘boys and girls’ are eager to mount suicide attacks all over the country, including Karachi, targeting high-profile government functionaries, according to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Anayat Kalley, some eight kilometres from the agency headquarters of the Bajaur Agency, the Tehrik’s deputy chief Maulana Faqir Mohammad and spokesman Maulvi Omar said that a ‘Fidayeen Squad’, comprising 10- to 20-year-old boys and girls, was ready to carry out the attacks if the government did not immediately stop the operation in Swat and did not reverse its decision to launch military operation in other tribal areas.

Maulvi Omar said the Tehrik’s chief, Baitullah Mehsud, had held consultations with key Taliban commanders and they were of the opinion that the only way to effectively counter the government’s aggressive plans was to launch massive attacks.

He said a plan had been finalised and the Tehrik had decided to launch suicide attacks in Peshawar, Mardan, Dir and other districts.

The spokesman said Taliban had set up ‘modern anti-aircraft and missile systems’ on their ‘checkposts’ along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to avert any threat of incursion by Nato and Afghan National Army into tribal areas.

He said arrangements had been made to effectively wage a “Jihad against the infidels”.

Asking MQM chief Altaf Hussain to “wind up his group’s activities”, Maulvi Omar said Karachi would soon fall into the hands of Taliban who were awaiting Baithullah’s orders to launch action in the city.

The Taliban spokesman said the Tehrik had responded “positively to the government’s peace overtures”, but both the federal and the NWFP governments had “failed to meet their commitments”. According to him, the present government was pursuing the policies of Pervez Musharraf and trying to complete the “unfinished American agenda”.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Militant commander, 8 others killed in Swat Valley

PESHAWAR, Aug 6 (AP): A top pro-Taliban commander died Wednesday in a clash with Pakistani security forces in Swat Valley, a militant spokesman said. Pakistan security officials confirmed that Ali Bakht and eight other militants died in fighting at a village in Kabal area. Militant spokesman Muslim Khan said Bakht was deputy to Mullah Fazlullah, who is the leader of Pakistani Islamic militants in the valley. His supporters have been fighting troops there since 2007 seeking enforcement of Taliban-style Islam. Bakht was a key figure in talks that led to a May peace deal between Fazlullah and the government in North West Frontier Province. (Posted @ 20:36 PST)

The TTP (Swat Chapter) has been asking for reinforcements from the other Tribal areas - let them come I suppose. A nice localized war to eliminate all of them.

The TTP isn't foolish though. Its objective, as is becoming clearer, is to destabilize Pakistan, and it beyond a few hundred token fighters, I doubt large numbers of reinforcements will be sent.

The TTP will do the only thing it can do - when thrashed by the Army and FC, it will resort to suicide bombings against 'soft targets'.

Edit: More details

Nine militants killed in NW Pakistan: military​

1 hour ago

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — A close aide to a radical Muslim cleric and eight other militants were killed Wednesday in a clash with Pakistani security forces in northwestern Swat valley, the military said.

"Nine militants including Ali Bakht, a top-ranking militant, were killed and many injured during a search and cordon operation conducted by security forces early this morning" in Kabal district, a military statement said.

Two security force personnel were wounded in the operation, it said.

Bakht was a close aide to pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah.

Fazlullah's spokesman, Muslim Khan, confirmed the death of Bakht, who had negotiated a peace deal with the government in May.

The agreement, which had caused concerns among Pakistan's western allies, was in jeopardy since fierce fighting erupted in the region last week.

Pakistan's military said Monday that a total of 136 people, including 94 Taliban militants, 14 troops and 28 civilians, had been killed in one week of fighting in Swat Valley.

Mountainous Swat was a thriving tourist resort until last year, when radical Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.

Under the May peace deal, the government agreed to gradually pull out troops and introduce an Islamic justice system. In exchange, the rebels said they would halt attacks and surrender arms.

Pakistan is under mounting international pressure to crack down on Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants who are increasing their hold over parts of northwestern Pakistan and the adjoining, semi-autonomous tribal belt.

Local military commander Brigadier Zia Anjum Bodla told reporters in Swat on Monday that the army was forced to act because militants were engaging in attacks in the area, violating the peace deal.

Elsewhere in northern Pakistan on Wednesday, another militant was killed and three security officials were wounded when a group of Pakistani Taliban attacked a police station outside the city of Peshawar.

Security forces used gunship helicopters to neutralise the militants, a security official said.

AFP: Nine militants killed in NW Pakistan: military

 

[RabzonKhan]

Key militant arrested in Swat

Staff Report

MINGORA: Security forces arrested Yaqoob Shah, a key commander of the Swat militants, on Tuesday.

They also bombed the houses of two militant commanders, Mufti Shah Hussain and Sheshah. A large number of weapons were recovered from Sheshah’s house.

The militants had bombed a primary girls’ school in Besh Banr and destroyed one bridge in Irkot and another in Gulibagh area of the district the previous night. Security forces continued their operation against suspected militants in Swat.

Four people were killed while 17 others were injured in various incidents during the operation. The dead included at least two civilians and one child

 

[fatman17]

Key militant arrested in Swat

Staff Report

MINGORA: Security forces arrested Yaqoob Shah, a key commander of the Swat militants, on Tuesday.

They also bombed the houses of two militant commanders, Mufti Shah Hussain and Sheshah. A large number of weapons were recovered from Sheshah’s house.

The militants had bombed a primary girls’ school in Besh Banr and destroyed one bridge in Irkot and another in Gulibagh area of the district the previous night. Security forces continued their operation against suspected militants in Swat.

Four people were killed while 17 others were injured in various incidents during the operation. The dead included at least two civilians and one child

these are typical examples of SOF ops where key tgts are eliminated or captured.