The Battle for Bajaur - PA seizes control

[Imran Khan]

Jets bomb Bajaur Agency extremists’ hideouts
Updated at: 1515 PST, Sunday, October 19, 2008
PESHAWAR: Jet planes’ heavy bombings on the hideouts of the extremists in Tehsil Nawagai of Bajaur Agency feared deaths.

Sources said that the jet planes targeted extremists’ hideouts at Charmang area of Tehsil Nawagai, while mortar shells were fired through heavy guns from the Agency headquarter, Khar targeting extremists’ hideouts at Loisum and Zorbandar.

On the other hand, the grand Jirga of Mamoond tribesmen would be held today, where crucial decision of likely actions against the extremists would be taken. Mamoond tribesmen have given three days time to the Afghan Mohajirs for leaving their areas. The tribesmen have started moving out of the areas on large scale due to worsening law and order situation in the areas.

 

[Imran Khan]

13 militants killed in Bajaur air strikes



Sunday, October 19, 2008

By Mushtaq Yusufzai

PESHAWAR: Around 13 suspected militants were reportedly killed and dozens of houses destroyed in the ongoing bombing by jetfighters and military gunship helicopters in the Bajaur Agency on Saturday.

The military authorities said jetfighters and gunship helicopters pounded suspected positions of the tribal militants in Mamond and Charmang Tehsils, which are considered as the strongholds of the militants.

In Loisam and the adjoining villages, sources said, seven militants were killed when jetfighters and gunship choppers turn by turn pounded their suspected positions.

Tribal sources said several houses of tribesmen, including Noor Rahman, Yar Khan, Zafar, Gul Rahman, Abdul Akbar Khan, Noor Zaman, Sher Mohammad, Noor Rahim, Sher Zamin, Tahir, Ghulam Sadiq and Ziaur Rahman were levelled to the ground when warplanes heavily bombarded Janat Shah Koruna near Rashakai in Khar Tehsil at around 8:00 am.

Interestingly, official and tribal sources said the village was famous for its anti-militant stance and was the only village where militants had never been welcomed.

No casualty was reported as the tribesmen had already vacated the village and shifted their families to Dir, Charsadda, Mardan and Peshawar due to the clashes between the security forces and militants for the past two and a half month in Bajaur. Also, the sources said the main Jamia Masjid of Janat Shah Koruna had been desecrated.

Similarly, military officials said the fighter planes and helicopters pounded positions of the militants in their stronghold of Mamond Tehsil, killing six militants and causing injuries to several others.

They said the planes targeted Badano, Seway, Omari and various other villages where militants had set up sanctuaries and were still in control of the area.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Maulvi Omar, said they would not lay down arms before successful talks with the government.

He said he was wrongly quoted by certain media organisations recently about the proposal for restoration of peace to the region.

Omar, who is hiding for quite some time, said they would not refuse mediation if anyone came forward to negotiate a permanent settlement between them and the government.

The spokesman said the Taliban were serious in their offer for restoration of peace as violence was not a solution to the issues. He said they were sincere in talks with the government, but would never lay down arms before any peace agreement.

Omar said the TTP would like to negotiate with the federal government as Fata was administered by the Centre and the same exercise of talks could later be followed in the Swat district.

Maulvi Omar said the government had not yet reciprocated to their peace proposal. He alleged that the government had imposed war on them as they were never indulged in fighting against the security forces

 

[Imran Khan]

8 extremists die in Bajaur security forces actions



Updated at: 1045 PST, Monday, October 20, 2008
KHAR: At least eight extremists were killed in jet fighters bombing and mortar shelling on the hideouts of the extremists in Bajaur Agency, while the death toll feared to rise.

Sources said that the security forces targeted extremists’ hideouts at Charmang and Loisam area of Bajaur Agency, as besides mortars, jet planes continued bombings and destroyed several hideouts of the extremists, which resulted in the death of 8 extremists, while the death toll feared to rise. Over 1600 extremists have thus far been killed in Bajaur Agency during the last two and a half months of military actions against the extremists, while lacs of people have left their hearth and homes in the area.

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan Restores Order in Parts of Bajaur, Kills 9 Militants

By Khalid Qayum

Oct. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistan restored the ``writ of the government'' in parts of Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan, a week after the military said it controls most of the Swat Valley after killing or ousting pro-Taliban militants.

``The overall law and order situation in these restive areas has improved and tribal people are taking to routine activities,'' the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported on its Web site. Schools, banks and government offices opened in Khar town, the headquarters of Bajaur, it said.

Thousands of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters sought shelter in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. The U.S. is pressing Pakistan to do more to stop them using the area to prepare attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan.

An offensive by helicopter gunships and fighter aircraft yesterday killed nine militants in Bajaur, APP reported, citing unidentified military officials. Several bunkers were destroyed in the attack, it said.

The government blames the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e- Taliban Pakistan, for attacks and banned the group and ordered the seizure of its bank accounts in August.

Security forces control key towns in Swat, which borders the tribal regions, after operations that started more than a year ago, military spokesman Major Murad Khan said on Oct. 14. The military may hand over control of the valley to the civil administration soon, he said.

Swat, a once-popular tourist destination with a population of 1.5 million about 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Islamabad, has seen intense fighting between the military and supporters of Maulana Fazlullah, a pro-Taliban cleric seeking to impose Islamic law in the area.

Residents have risen up against the militants in tribal areas, Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, the recently appointed head of Pakistan's intelligence agency, told lawmakers this month.

To contact the reporters on this story: Khalid Qayum in Islamabad at kqayum@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 20, 2008

 

[waraich66]

Cut and past is very easy .We want your analysis or personal views of this report.

I think pakistan army is doing totally wrong .These putoon tribes and local so called talaban will not lay their arms with these type of coward attackes.

America want to destabilize whole region and enventually control neclear facilities of pakistan.



Thanks

 

[JK!]

I disagree with your views and opinions Waraich66.

Pakistan is fighting terrorists not martyrs, people whose tolerance for others is non existent and those who don't value human life.

The Pakistan Army is the scalpel which will remove this cancer from the land not the brazen killers you have villified them to be.

These Muslims have never needed the America to kill other muslims but they still do it.

 

[Imran Khan]

Terrorists want to destabilize Pakistan: President Zardari
Updated at: 1555 PST, Tuesday, October 21, 2008
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the terrorists want to destabilize Pakistan, but their nefarious designs would be foiled.

The president, according to sources, told this to the Fata members of parliament, who had called on him at the President House here. He said that both the parties would have to get their acts together for combating terrorism.

Exchanging views on war against terrorism, Pak-Afghan border situation and the prevalent scenario in tribal areas, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the terrorists wanted to destabilize Pakistan, but their evil designs would be foiled. The president said that actions in the tribal areas were being taken against the militants only. He said that war against terrorism was in the interests of the country and its security.

Sources said that the Fata lawmakers on this occasion submitted their proposals relating to ceasing the military operation in the tribal areas, while they said that the tribal people wanted to get rid off the militancy. They also assured full support to the government in its endeavour for eradicating terrorism.

 

[waraich66]

I disagree with your views and opinions Waraich66.

Pakistan is fighting terrorists not martyrs, people whose tolerance for others is non existent and those who don't value human life.

The Pakistan Army is the scalpel which will remove this cancer from the land not the brazen killers you have villified them to be.

These Muslims have never needed the America to kill other muslims but they still do it.

Yahya khan did the same technique to eliminate bangalees from bangladesh.What was the result.

No body eliminate trible pustoons from NWFP.The solution of this war is political not miltery.

I am afraid if this war prolong india will send his paratrooper to help talaban.

Pakistan is reating same story of bangladesh here.

In 1971 America was sending ship for pakistan help.But what happened all you know.

Here america is fueling the war at peak of war they will stop their support and may send india as they did in 1971.

 

[Imran Khan]

15 Taliban killed as troops target Bajaur hideouts

* Seven Taliban killed in clashes in Swat
* Five ‘hardcore’ Taliban arrested in Darra

Staff Report

KHAR/MINGORA: Fifteen Taliban were killed as security forces used heavy artillery, fighter jets and helicopter gunships to target suspected hideouts in Bajaur Agency on Monday.

After the attacks in the Chinar, Charmang, Kohi, Babra, Zorbandar, Hashim and Loyesam areas of the tribal region, helicopters dropped pamphlets asking tribesmen to support the government against Taliban. Government troops now control Salarzai and Utman Khel tehsils and parts of Khar. Shops, banks, government offices and schools remained open in Khar, where the security situation has improved. Meanwhile, about 300 elders from the Salarzai tribe vowed to resist Taliban in their areas during a grand jirga held in Bajaur.

The elders said they would fight Taliban for Pakistan’s sake and would not allow them to re-enter their land. They asked the government to launch development and welfare projects in the area to win more tribesmen over.

Swat: Seven Taliban were killed and another 10 wounded in a clash with security forces in the Shah Dherai area of Swat’s Kabal tehsil on Monday, military officials said. A military spokesman in Mingora said the clash followed an attack by Taliban on a security checkpoint. Troops also used artillery to target Taliban positions in the area. Residents said several civilians were killed as mortar shells hit houses.

Taliban fired seven rockets at a security checkpost in Totano Bandai area of Kabal, but there were no casualties.

Darra Adam Khel: Security forces arrested five ‘hardcore’ Taliban including two commanders from the Peerwal and Kakakhel areas of Darra Adam Khel on Monday, a Frontier Constabulary (FC) spokesman said. He said they also seized two trucks laden with heavy weapons and ammunition from the house of another commander during the raids.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

Yahya khan did the same technique to eliminate bangalees from bangladesh.What was the result.

No body eliminate trible pustoons from NWFP.The solution of this war is political not miltery.

I am afraid if this war prolong india will send his paratrooper to help talaban.

Pakistan is reating same story of bangladesh here.

In 1971 America was sending ship for pakistan help.But what happened all you know.

Here america is fueling the war at peak of war they will stop their support and may send india as they did in 1971.

hey buddy first go and read the history why BD wanted to break away from pakistan. it was as much our "WEST PAKISTAN's" fault as it was for the army. we west pakistanis thought we were superior race and looked at them as some 3rd class race and gave them no respect. just go watch your great zuliqr bhutto's speech addressing to the BDs.. he was calling them PIGS and told them to go to HELL!! is this the respect pakistan should have given them?

and for your information.. the local tribes have stood up to fight aganist the taligons.. the tribes are not aganist the army actually they are fighting along with the army!

 

[Imran Khan]

Arms recovered, 17 militants arrested Tuesday, 21 Oct, 2008 | 05:23 PM PST |

Suspects caught by security forces in Bajaur. (File Photo)

DARA ADAM KHEL: Security forces arrested 17 militants including Uzbek nationals and recovered a huge cache of arms during a search operation in Dara Adam Khail.
According to details, during the search operation, the forces arrested 17 militants from a home and majority of them were Uzbek nationals.
Security Forces recovered a cache of arms including 350 Russian made Rocket Launchers, more than 500 barrels of Machine Guns, 3 Japanese Wireless systems, Mines Detectors, various kinds of riffles, secret documents, maps and other explosive material. Security Forces’ officials informed that most of the arms were made in Russia and Germany.
Security Forces have presented six arrested militants and recovered arms in front of media.
Meanwhile in Swat, cross firing continued between militants and security forces overnight while security forces targeted the militants post by shelling mortars but no causalities were reported from either side.

 

[Imran Khan]

Jihad’, ‘Islamist’ necessary terms: US army report

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: A US military ‘Red Team’ charged with challenging conventional thinking says that words like ‘jihad’ and ‘Islamist’ are needed in discussing 21st Century terrorism and that federal agencies that avoid the words soft-pedaled the link between religious extremism and violent acts, according to a Washington Times (WT) report.

“We must reject the notion that Islam and Arabic stand apart as bodies of knowledge that cannot be critiqued or discussed as elements of understanding our enemies in this conflict,” the WT quoted he report as saying.

The report, “Freedom of Speech in Jihad Analysis: Debunking the Myth of Offensive Words,” was written by unnamed civilian analysts and contractors for the US Central Command, the report said.

“The fact is our enemies cite the source of Islam as the foundation for their global jihad,” the report said. “We are left with the responsibility of portraying our enemies in an honest and accurate fashion.”

The WT said a January 2008 memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties stated, “Unidentified American Muslims recommended that the US government avoid using the terms ‘jihadist’, ‘Islamic terrorist’, ‘Islamist’ or ‘holy warrior’, asserting that would create a ‘negative climate’ and spawn acts of harassment and discrimination”.

The WT said a second document mentioned by the report was developed for the State Department by the National Counter-terrorism Centre’s Extremist Messaging Branch.

It urged officials to use the term ‘violent extremist’ and never to use ‘jihadist’ because that will ‘legitimize’ terrorists.

The Red Team report said the government documents in question reflected “the views and opinions of a very small [number] of Americans whose contributions may have escaped critical review. ... While there is concern that we not label all Muslims as Islamist terrorists, it is proper to address certain aspects of violence as uniquely Islamic,” the report said as quoted by the paper.

It said the report noted “some terms for terrorists, such as ‘Islamo-fascist’, are conspicuously offensive’”.

 

[Imran Khan]

Pakistani strikes kill 12 militants in tribal area


Monday, 20 Oct, 2008 | 09:17 PM PST |

File photo: Pakistani troops with weapons patrol the troubled Bajaur agency September 26, 2008. Reuters

KHAR, Pakistan: Pakistani helicopter gunships, fighter jets and artillery on Monday pounded militant hideouts in the Bajaur tribal region, killing 12 rebels, officials said.


The strikes were carried out at militants' hideouts across Bajaur, where Pakistani troops and militants have been locked in fierce fighting since August.

‘Pakistani helicopter gunships, jet fighters and artillery hit militants' hideouts, killing 12 militants and wounding more than a dozen others,’ a senior security official told AFP.

Local administration official Mohammad Jamil confirmed the deaths of 12 Taliban fighters in Monday's offensive.

The United Nations refugee agency recently said almost 190,000 people had been displaced from Bajaur since fighting began.

Pakistan military said in late September 1,000 militants had died in the fighting since August, including Al-Qaeda's operational commander in the region, Egyptian Abu Saeed Al-Masri.

 

[waraich66]

Please dont trusth on these media reports.

If army is getting success why after two months of war they are still struggling to take control of even kohat tunel.Which is at 100 KM approx distance from waziristan.

Fact is local peoples and tribes are againt army,they are supporting talaban.

 

[Imran Khan]

Italy backs Pakistan’s stance in war on terror

* Seeks regional conference on Afghanistan
* FM supports access for Pakistani goods
* Pakistan, Italy likely to sign MoU on security

ISLAMABAD: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini urged the international community on Monday to fully support Pakistan as it was playing its due role in the war on terror.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Foreign Office with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Frattini said Italy supports Pakistan’s sovereignty and independence.

He said Italy had a clear policy against terrorism, which had military and political dimensions. He said there was no harm in talking with certain elements in order to cut the Taliban’s relationship with the local communities and stop the support they get from them.

Conference: He said Italy was seeking to convene a conference of countries in the region to devise a joint strategy on terrorism. Frattini said Italy supported a political solution for Afghanistan and wanted to root out terrorism with the help of local people through socio-economic development.

EU: Frattini said Italy supported greater access for Pakistan in the European Union (EU) market.

He also invited his Pakistani counterpart to visit Italy to bolster economic ties and increase economic and commercial co-operation between the two countries.

Pashtun: Frattini endorsed Pakistan’s strategy of trying to win over support from the conservative ethnic Pashtun tribes of the region, and not negotiate with Taliban and Al Qaeda until they laid down their arms.

“We do want Pakistan combating terrorism and fighting terrorists, not negotiating with terrorists. This is why we share the same point of view,” he said, adding a bilateral accord on security should be signed early next year.

Qureshi said Pakistan acknowledged Italian support of €7.7 million for development in the small and medium enterprises sector. He said Pakistan had requested Italy to convert loans into aid.

Earlier, the two sides held talks and agreed to expand their trade, economic and cultural ties. They also discussed the war on terror, United Nations reform and Pakistani access to the European market.

Meanwhile, in a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House, PM Yousuf Raza Gilani told the Italian foreign minister Pakistan attached great importance to its political, economic and cultural ties with Italy and both the countries shared common perceptions on most of the regional and global issues, particularly on terrorism and UN reform.

He conveyed the gratitude of the government of Pakistan to Italy for swapping debt of $100 million for socio-economic projects and said the list of projects to be undertaken by Pakistan with that money would soon be conveyed to Italy.

MoU: Frattini assured the prime minister of Italy’s support and co-operation in the war on terror as well as the economy. He said an Italian corporate delegation would soon visit Pakistan to explore the investment opportunities and hoped both the countries would sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on security and defence in the near future to promote defence co-operation as well as exchange of intelligence information. sajjad malik/reuters