The Battle for Orakzai & Khyber Agencies

[EjazR]

With all due respect, using F-16s to bomb targets and not expecting ANY civilian casualties is highly improbable. We all rail against the US NATO e.t.c. for their bombing campaigns that kill a few or no militants but also result in civilians deaths, shouldn't we have the same concern here?

The only way would be to give Pakistani media access and for them to report from conflict zones. If journalists have reported from war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan or Vietnam for example, there shouldn't be any reason why they be allowed here.

Again I hope no or minimal civilian casualties were involved and the Tablighi Markaz was hopefully abandoned with only militants there.

 

[waraich66]

With all due respect, using F-16s to bomb targets and not expecting ANY civilian casualties is highly improbable. We all rail against the US NATO e.t.c. for their bombing campaigns that kill a few or no militants but also result in civilians deaths, shouldn't we have the same concern here?

The only way would be to give Pakistani media access and for them to report from conflict zones. If journalists have reported from war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan or Vietnam for example, there shouldn't be any reason why they be allowed here.

Again I hope no or minimal civilian casualties were involved and the Tablighi Markaz was hopefully abandoned with only militants there.

No media personal can take risk to visit conflict zone , it is too dangerous

 

[EjazR]

^^Not any more dangerous than Iraq or Afghanistan or Vietnam

 

[ameer219]

Security forces kill five militants in Lower Orakzai

ORAKZAI: According to official sources, security forces and militants clashed in Gadra area of lower Orakzai agency.

Forces are heavily targeting militant hideouts in the agency for the last five days and claim to have killed over 135 militants so far. At least five security personnel have also lost their lives during the offensive.

Meanwhile, mass exodus also continues in the agency. Large numbers of people are migrating from Sultanzai, Feroze-Khel, Anjani, Mishit-Mela and surrounding areas to safer places in Hangu and Kohat. - DawnNews.

 

[waraich66]

^^Not any more dangerous than Iraq or Afghanistan or Vietnam

How , please explain?

 

[Tiger Awan]

I hope I meant the same. It is not an "AMAZING" thing to have this opinion of TJ for terrorists.

@Tiger Awan. I am not saying that you are wrong or misleading, maybe your experience is valid but my view is authentic because I have first hand knowledge of opinions of TJ, coz I've personally met and questioned them about terrorism and Taliban.

KIT Over

But I also have a vast experience with them.

OK dear. No fighting.

 

[air marshal]

15 more militants killed in Aurakzai Agency

PESHAWAR, Mar 28 (APP): The security forces backed by gunship helicopters Sunday killed 15 more militants in restive Arakzai Agency.Official sources informed that security forces have regained control of a key militant stronghold Gaidra after inflicted heavy losses to militants.

The militants carried out rocket attacks on FC fort that was effectively retaliated by security forces that left 10 terrorists killed.
Earlier, five militants were killed during a shootout between troops and extremists in Ferozkhel area. The hideouts of militants have been pounded with gunship helicopters and several dens were destroyed.

 

[TaimiKhan]

KALAYA: A large number of militants were killed in clashes with security forces in different areas of Orakzai Agency on Sunday.

Official sources said militants attacked a security post with rockets and machineguns in Ferozkhel area near Kalaya. Troops retaliated and managed to repulse the attack.

An official claimed that six militants were killed in the action.

In another incident, militants fired rockets at an army base in Kalaya which landed in nearby fields.

In retaliation troops used artillery pieces to pound militants’ positions on hilltops. The sources said three hideouts were destroyed and five militants killed.

Forces took control of Gedra area in Ferozkhel.

AP adds:

Military helicopter gunships bombed hideouts of militants in nearby Chapri Ferozkhel area, killing 12 of them.

The government says more than 100 suspected militants and five soldiers have been killed in fighting in the region in the last week. Officials said the militants killed so far include Uzbeks and Arabs.

 

[Cha.Cal]

Pakistan’s Orakzai offensive

Written by Sim Tack

Monday, 29 March 2010 01:15

While the international coalition struggles to control the insurgency in Afghanistan, Pakistan is struggling to control Taliban elements within its own borders. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas that form Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan are riddled with Taliban activity and have offered a safe haven to insurgents operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban in this area no only undermine the Pakistani authority in these regions, they also present a danger to the supply lines of the coalition in Afghanistan and offer a staging area for insurgents operating in Afghanistan. Since last year, however, it seems that the Pakistani military has been achieving success in its operations against the Taliban and at this very moment an offensive is underway in the Orakzai region, a mountainous stronghold of Taliban activity.


Summary

After leaving the FATA unsecure for a number of years Pakistan is finally taking steps to secure its border region as an effort to reinforce its internal security and to halt the support of Pakistani Taliban elements to Afghan insurgents. The Pakistani military has already secured the Swat valley, South Waziristan and Bajaur. At this point it is running an offensive in the Orakzai region, consisting of a two-pronged attack that is pushing Taliban to flee to the northern Tirah valley. While Pakistani troops seem extremely able to wrestle these areas from the Taliban, the question remains whether the necessary Counter Insurgency follow-up will enable Pakistan to maintain control of these regions in the future and prevent a return of terrorism and insurgency. Pakistan also has several more areas to secure from militants, being North Waziristan, Kurram and the Tirah valley. The Pakistani government has already announced an offensive in North Waziristan in the near future.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a lawless region along the border with Afghanistan. While the Pakistani President and the Constitution have power over these areas, the normal Pakistani rule of law does not. Because of this a power vacuum exists in this area, with a distinct lack of police forces, courts and local governments. This is very advantageous to terrorist from neighboring Afghanistan, for a long time they were able to come and go and act as they pleased in this region. As such the Area has acted as a staging area for Afghan insurgents, making it impossible for the international coalition and Afghani military to root them out. This has caused the western nations to put much pressure on the Pakistani government to take action against terrorists in this area, and to install a rule of law. The problems for the western military operations in Afghanistan became most clear when Taliban insurgents practically shut down the access from Pakistan to Afghanistan for supply convoys. Even though the Khyber Pass itself was eventually secured and NATO were allowed by Russia to move their supplies into Afghanistan from the north, the remaining insurgent activity still presents a clear danger to the security of Afghanistan and Pakistan itself.

For a long time Pakistan had been ignoring requests to put an end to the terrorist activity, out of fear to upset tribal leaders and because of pro-Taliban elements working within the ranks of Pakistani government agencies. During 2009 however the Pakistani government ordered its military to end the Taliban activity. The first step in this plan was the offensive in the Swat valley during April and May of 2009. The military cleared the Taliban strongholds in the area and a final push by helibourne commandos on the major city of Mingora managed to clear insurgents out of the Swat valley. At this point security has been restored and remains in the Swat valley where tourism is picking up again.

After the first successful offensive the military’s attention shifted to the situation in South Waziristan. This most southern region within the FATA was at the time the hardest concentration of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the main militant Taliban umbrella group in Pakistan. The insurgents in this region composed a force of 6,000-7,000 men, members of the TTP as well as local militias and foreign allies of the Taliban, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, they had heavily entrenched themselves in the area. The Pakistani military’s operation in South Waziristan deployed 28,000 troops in a three-pronged attack aimed to secure the main insurgent strongholds. The army was able to take Kotkai (home of the TTP leadership), Kaniguram (stronghold of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), Sararogha and finally Makeen. With these four cities under their control the army was able to advance its control to the rest of the South Waziristan area. Most of the Insurgents that got away from this offensive fled to make their way to the Orakzai region, where the current army offensive is hitting them. Before moving to the Orakzai area the military, however, first ran a short but powerful offensive in the Bajaur area in the north of the FATA. After taking a hold of Damadola, the regional insurgent stronghold, and Khar, the main city in the area, the military was able to push out any insurgent activity and directed its attention to the Orakzai region and the Tirah valley.

The main opponent in these offensives has been the Tehrik-I-Taliban Pakistan. This group finds its roots in the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. When, in 2002, Pakistani troops entered the FATA to engage Afghan insurgents, regional Taliban veterans that fought the Soviets in Afghanistan started to organize against the Pakistani military. In 2004 Islamabad basically offered the Pakistani Taliban militias full control of the FATA, which resulted in rivalry with other local tribes that turned out not to be a match for the Taliban movement. In 2007 eventually the group was formally formed under leadership of Baitullah Mehsud. It was only in 2008 that the Pakistani government realized the danger of its indigenous Taliban movement, and Islamabad finally outlawed the organization. In August 2009 Baitullah Mehsud died, allegedly in a US drone strike, and a new leader for the movement was selected. After a short power struggle leadership was transferred to Hakimullah Mehsud, who is believed to have died in January 2010. The TTP officially denies this, though Pakistani intelligence and press stand by their claims of his death. The new leader would reportedly be Maulana Toofan. Both Hakimullah Mehsud and Maulana Toofan are targets of the current offensives and their capture or death are main objectives in Pakistan’s war against the Taliban.

Last Wednesday morning the Pakistani military officially started the offensive in the Orakzai area, where now most of the TTP are believed to be sheltered. The actual ground operations, however, had started on March 21st when Pakistani artillery fired a barrage at the village of Arghanjo and Pakistani troops moved from Shahu Khel into Kasha, which the troops had been trying to conquer for months, this time with success. On Tuesday, March 23rd, Pakistani artillery shelled the villages of Anjani and Sultanzai. They caused Taliban casualties with these and some Taliban started to retreat with their wounded in the direction of the Tirah valley. Wednesday the main push of the offensive moved for Kalaya. Frontier Corps forces took control of the city and set up checkpoints. During the same push the soldiers also conquered the villages of Anjani and Feroz Khel. Skirmishes continued as the Pakistani military continued to sweep the area and Taliban militants fired missiles and mortars into Kalaya. On Friday morning a unit of insurgents, that had found its escape route to the Tirah valley cut off, launched an assault on a checkpoint near Kalaya. After hours of firefighting the Frontier Corps was able to regain control of the checkpoint. Militants also tried to assault Feroz Khel but their attempts were beaten back. On Saturday several more skirmishes took place and Pakistani artillery shelled villages across the region (Anjani, Sultanzai, Bizoti, Mamozai and Shadal), possibly softening Taliban positions that will be assaulted as the offensive progresses. The Pakistani military was also able to take control of Gaidra, a terrorist stronghold that had been under Taliban control for the last six years. Today, on Monday, Taliban elements continue to launch attacks on the Gaidra and Feroz Khel villages, but Pakistani troops are successful at beating them back.

That is where the offensive currently stands, with Pakistani forces consolidating their gains and sweeping for remaining insurgent activity in the villages they have conquered. The next move of the offensive will likely see the main push advance west toward Tajaka and Ghiljo. At this point either the main force of the offensive, or the troops currently located at Kasha would move towards Shadal, Mamozai and Arghanjo, separated from the rest of Orakzai by mountains. Orakzai is not easy terrain to conquer in conventional military operations, and the unforgiving mountains and forests help the terrorists in their entrenched positions. The Pakistani forces so far have displayed great ability and professionalism in their offensives against the Taliban, which bolsters beliefs that they could be able to secure the Orakzai region and the entire FATA from Taliban activity. These conventional pushes, however, are merely the beginning of the task at hand. In order to maintain order and allow the FATA to integrate under Pakistani control the government will be required to gain control of these areas in every way possible. The military offensives need to be followed immediately by installment of a rule of law and police forces as well as development initiatives to allow these abandoned regions to grow closer to Pakistan. If this does not happen these offensives are sadly wastes of time. While the Pakistani forces seem very thorough in their sweep for insurgents, practically searching every single house before declaring a village safe, this is of no use if no Counter Insurgency strategy is applied in the follow-up of these operations. If the FATA is left back to what it was, it will only take so much time before terrorists return to their safe haven.

The success of the current offensive in the Orakzai region also does not mean a success in clearing the whole FATA of Taliban activity. The militants in South Waziristan numbered 6,000 to 7,000 but as militants flee form region to region, hunted by the Pakistani military, more and more militants will gather in a single area, causing a denser spread of insurgents and intenser fighting. At this moment the Taliban seem to be regrouping in the Tirah vally north of the Orakzai region. It is unclear whether the government will move immediately to clear the Tirah valley from insurgents after taking full control of Orakzai, or whether it will first conduct its planned operations in North Waziristan. Perhaps the Pakistani military will be able to use the Tirah valley as a death trap for the militants by leaving it as a last resort. After operations in North Waziristan and Kurram it would have forced the active militants to withdraw to the Tirah valley, which it could then isolate and secure. On the other hand the Tirah valley could also be secured right away in order to push militants out toward Kurram and North Waziristan, although this would be a less advantageous position for the Pakistani military as an isolation of this area will prove a lot more difficult and the possibility of escape to Afghanistan or other parts of Pakistan becomes real.

 

[ejaz007]

31 killed in Orakzai offensive
Updated at: 1450 PST, Tuesday, March 30, 2010


PESHAWAR: Thirty-one militants were killed during security forces operation in Orakzai Agency.

According to sources, security forces operation is underway in different parts of Orakzai Agency.

Fighter jets pounded militants’ positions in Arghanja area killing 21 militants and injuring 22. A training center has also destroyed during the action.

Earlier, ten militants were killed by security forces in Anjani area. At least 150 militants have been killed during a weeklong operation in Mashti, Arghanja, Bal Kot, Talay, Waziray and Ikka Khel, sources added.

31 killed in Orakzai offensive

 

[mjnaushad]

With all due respect, using F-16s to bomb targets and not expecting ANY civilian casualties is highly improbable. We all rail against the US NATO e.t.c. for their bombing campaigns that kill a few or no militants but also result in civilians deaths, shouldn't we have the same concern here?

The only way would be to give Pakistani media access and for them to report from conflict zones. If journalists have reported from war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan or Vietnam for example, there shouldn't be any reason why they be allowed here.

Again I hope no or minimal civilian casualties were involved and the Tablighi Markaz was hopefully abandoned with only militants there.

Dude we experienced some journalist in past. Who consider our informers as taliban and then post bull s hit in their articles. We can take them to conflict zone but we know they'll only make news which they can sale. Like We saw taliban shaking hand with PA officer and blah blah blah........

And neutral journalist visit frontline very often. Our frontline is open for those who want to publish the truth not "mirch masala News"


And about F16 adn civilian casualitites. Ever heard of a thing called "laser guided bomb". PAF proved its accuracy and minimal collateral damage in Swat.

 

[air marshal]

Air strike kills 26 militants in Orakzai agency

PESHAWAR March 30 (APP): At least twenty-six militants were killed, ten injured and three hideouts destroyed, as fighter aircraft pounded the suspected hideouts of militants in Orakzai agency on Tuesday. The jet fighters targeted suspected positions of the militants in Anjani area in lower Orakzai agency which resulted in killing of six militants and destruction of three compounds of the banned outfit of the militants.

Similarly twenty militants were killed and ten others injured when fighter aircraft targeted militants hideouts in Arghunjo area of tehsil Mamozai in Upper Orakzai agency.

Mamozai is a strong base of the defunct TTP Chief Hakimullah Meshud, whose death in US drone strikes still shrouded in mystery.

The operation against militants had been launched a week back and, so far, dozens of militants have been killed and injured.

Meanwhile police in Hangu districts arrested five suspected militants during various raids in parts of the district.

District Police Officer Hangu Farid Khan Bangash said important revelations are expected from the arrested accused during interrogation.

 

[Cha.Cal]

Latest Pakistan offensive kills 10 Taliban: officials

(AFP) – 6 hours ago

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani ground troops backed by war planes and helicopter gunships killed 10 militants Tuesday in the latest battle zone in the tribal area near Afghanistan, security officials said.

The fighting took place in Orakzai district, where Pakistan has been pressing a new offensive against the Taliban for a week in a bid to eradicate those believed to have fled a major offensive in South Waziristan last year.

"Fighter jets are targeting their hideouts. Gunships are also active while ground troops are using heavy artillery in different locations of Orakzai," a military official told AFP from the northwestern city of Peshawar.

"We have reports that at least 10 militants have been killed and several others wounded today," he added.

Another official from the Frontier Corps paramilitary confirmed the air strikes and helicopter shelling, claiming militants had suffered heavy losses.

"We are hitting and targeting different locations in outskirts of Kalaya and some parts of lower Orakzai. We have reports of Taliban casualties and are collecting information," he added.

US officials praise Pakistani assaults against homegrown militants blamed for attacks that have killed more than 3,000 people in three years, but also want the military to tackle groups who attack NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's mountainous and semi-autonomous tribal belt became a stronghold for hundreds of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked extremists who fled Afghanistan to regroup and launch cross-border attacks after the US-led invasion in 2001.

The military has announced a running death toll of 87 militants in the Orakzai operation, including the latest toll, but none of the figures can be verified independently because access to the remote area is extremely limited.

Orakzai is a former bastion of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan leader Hakimullah Mehsud, whom US officials believe probably died in a US drone attack in January. The Pakistani military say they have no evidence he is in the area.

 

[Cha.Cal]

Daily Tracker: Pakistani Military Operations in Orakzai

By Reza Jan, Nicholas Patella, Benjamin Schultz

March 30, 2010

One week ago, the Pakistani military launched a major offensive into Orakzai in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The foray comes as the Pakistani military’s operation in South Waziristan formally ends today, March 30 (although the army will maintain a presence in the agency). As part of the new Orakzai offensive, dubbed Operation “Khwakh Ba De Sham” (A Pashto expression roughly meaning “I will teach you a lesson” or “I will fix you”), five battalions of Army, Frontier Corps and local Frontier Constabulary troops, backed up by jets, helicopter gunships and artillery support, have forayed into parts of Orakzai held by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and begun retaking control of the area.

Orakzai is of great strategic importance to both the Pakistani military and the TTP. Hakimullah Mehsud, the late head of the TTP, shifted back to his old stronghold of Orakzai along with much of the movement’s leadership and manpower following the group’s expulsion from South Waziristan. Orakzai has also been the launching pad for numerous suicide bomb attacks conducted across Pakistan and is home to many terror training camps, including some run by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and other al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist outfits.

For the Pakistani military, retaking Orakzai is a key step towards destroying the leadership capacity of the TTP, crippling its ability to train and launch attacks, and denying it another safe-haven in which it may regroup. This latest operation in Orakzai demonstrates the utmost seriousness with which Pakistan continues to view the task of eliminating the TTP and its affiliates.

Although the scale of the operation currently underway in Orakzai is smaller compared to last year’s operations in Swat and South Waziristan, the fighting has been just as bloody. The military has established a cordon around many of Orakzai’s entry and exit points and the militants, finding their escape cut off, are, in many cases, choosing to fight and launch significant assaults on military positions. The military has been retaliating by bombarding TTP locations relentlessly, reportedly inflicting heavy casualties on the militants. The military claims many of the dead are foreign fighters, including Arabs and Uzbeks.

The Critical Threats Project has been cataloging the military operation in Orakzai on a day-to-day basis and produced a tracker containing casualty figures, details of fighting, information on the flows of internally displaced people (IDPs), maps of the agency showing locations of violence, and more.

Click on each map to view an enlarged version. To see a larger map of northwest Pakistan, CLICK HERE.


Day Six - March 29, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day Six - March 29, 2010

Military operations in Orakzai persist with security forces continuing to repel ambushes, capture militants, and utilize air assets to destroy militant hideouts. (CNN, Daily Times, Frontier Post)

Taliban casualties: 21 to 28 killed today; 149 to 221 killed since beginning of operation. (CNN, Daily Times, Geo)

Military casualties: 2-4 injured today; 5-6 killed and 19-24 wounded since beginning of operation. (CNN, Daily Times, Frontier Post)

The military reportedly conducted actions in Feroz Khel, Waziri, Mishti, Sara Mela and Zara Mela on Monday, among others. (Geo)

Taliban fighters ambushed a military convoy in the Mirobak area. Security forces returned fire, killing between 8 and 11 militants and capturing three to four others, including a militant commander by the name of Mir Fazal. Two soldiers were also reported to have sustained injuries in the firefight. The military reports capturing up to 3 militant commanders on Monday. (CNN, Daily Times, Frontier Post)

In a separate incident, militants fired rockets at a military checkpost near the main Orakzai town of Kalaya. Two soldiers reportedly sustained injuries from enemy mortar fire. Security forces responded, killing five militants. (CNN, Geo)

Helicopter gunships shelled three Taliban hideouts in northern Orakzai, killing 13 militants. Artillery fire also continued to rain down on enemy positions. Up to 28 militants were reported killed in Monday’s fighting. (CNN, Geo)

Security forces killed two militants and arrested 14 others during search and clearing operations in the Dogra area of Khyber Agency’s Bara sub-district and also seized an arms and ammunition cache. (Daily Times, Frontier Post)

According to local tribesmen, 7 civilians including a woman were injured when a stray mortar round hit a house in Feroz Khel. Additionally, four unidentified bodies were recovered from Ghiljo, in upper Orakzai on Monday. (The News)

Five policemen and a civilian sustained injuries when hit by an IED attack in nearby Hangu. (CNN)


Day Five - March 28, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day Five - March 28, 2010

Security forces continued their operations in Orakzai on Sunday, capturing fresh territory and fending off attacks from TTP militants.

Taliban casualties: 22 to 32 killed today, 128 to 193 killed since beginning of operation. (The News, Dawn, AP, Daily Times, Geo, Frontier Post)

Military casualties: No casualties reported today, 5-6 killed and 17-20 wounded since beginning of operation.

Militants and Pakistani security forces traded fire when a military bunker in Gaidar, previously a militant stronghold in Feroz Khel, came under attack. Militants wielding small arms and rockets attacked the outpost but were beaten back by forces stationed there. During the military’s retaliation between 6 and 10 Taliban militants were killed. The military has now fully secured Gaidar. (Geo, Dawn, Dawn, The News, Daily Times)

In a separate incident, militants based out of Shireen Darra fired four rockets at the military camp established in Kalaya. The rockets missed their mark and no casualties were reported. (The News)

Security forces later bombarded enemy positions and trenches in the Feroz Khel area, killing between 5 and 12 militants, according to differing reports. (The News, AP, Geo, Daily Times)

Elsewhere, 11 suspected militants were arrested during a search operation in Hangu. 23 militants including, three commanders, voluntarily surrendered at a jirga in Salarzai area of Bajaur Agency. The jirga announced a Rs2 million fine for anyone that hosted extremists in addition to the seizure of all their wealth and banishment from the area. (Frontier Post, Daily Times)

The exodus of internally displaced people continues, and large numbers of IDPs have left Sultanzai, Feroz Khel, Anjani and Mishti, for safer areas in Hangu and Kohat. A large number of families are also fleeing north into Khyber agency. According to one report, more than 15,000 families have fled to various parts of Khyber agency. (Dawn, Daily Times, Geo)


Day Four - March 27, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day Four - March 27, 2010

“Fresh contingents of security forces” deployed to Orakzai and forces continued to pound enemy locations with artillery as operations in the region continued. (The News)
Taliban casualties: 9-16 killed today, 106-161 killed since beginning of operation. (Frontier Post, Dawn, AP/WSJ, AFP, Daily Times)
Military casualties: No casualties reported today, 5-6 killed and 17-20 wounded since beginning of operation.

Air strikes targeting eight separate hideouts and three militant vehicles in Orakzai Agency killed between 9 and 16 militants. (Frontier Post, Dawn, AP/WSJ, AFP, Daily Times)

Pakistani jets, gunships and artillery shelled several TTP hideouts in Orakzai. Air assets and artillery struck locations in Sultanzai, Daburai, Bizoti, Feroz Khel, Bazoqamar, Kata Kanrai, Utman Khel, Chundra/Jondar and Darra Garhi and Anjani. Gunships also targeted militant positions in Bagram and Shadal. Between 13 and 16 militants died and 18 were injured in the strikes and “scores others” were injured. Three vehicles carrying militants belonging to the Aslam Farooqi group were also destroyed. Aslam Farooqi is the leader of the TTP’s Orakzai chapter. (Geo, Daily Times, The News, Frontier Post)

Elsewhere, militants in Orakzai killed two Utman Khel tribesmen in Lower Orakzai on suspicion of spying for the government. The bodies of six truck drivers abducted some days before were also recently found in Orakzai. (Geo)


Day Three - March 26, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day Three - March 26, 2010

Security forces continue their operations in Orakzai, utilizing air assets to destroy militant hideouts and weathering Taliban counterattacks. (Dawn, The News, Reuters, NYT)

Taliban casualties: 28-49 killed today, 97 to 145 killed since beginning of operation. (Reuters, AP/WSJ)

Military casualties: 5-6 FC soldiers killed, 14-16 wounded today. 5-6 killed, 17-20 wounded since beginning of operation(Reuters, The News)

Between 100 and 150 militants launched an assault late Thursday night on the Shna checkpost located on the outskirts of Kalaya. The insurgents attacked the checkpost from three sides simultaneously, pounding the area with mortar shells and machine gun fire. One security official described the attack as a last ditch effort from Taliban militants who had been cut off from other contingents fighting in the region and were unable to flee into the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. Frontier Corps forces with the help of air support launched a counterattack early on Friday which successfully retook the checkpost after several hours of fighting. Between the initial assault and the counterattack which recaptured the checkpost security forces killed between 21 and 39 militants; Afghans, Arabs, and Uzbeks were reportedly among the dead. FC casualties included 5-6 personnel killed, including a Lieutenant Colonel, and between 14 and 16 FC soldiers wounded. (Reuters,AFP, AP/WSJ, NYT, The News,Dawn)

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters also attacked military bunkers in the Feroz Khel area. According to local residents, the attack on the checkpost and bunkers was carried out in retaliation for the previous day’s bombing of militant hideouts in the Mamuzai area that killed several dozen TTP fighters. (The News)

Later in the day, shelling from fighter jets and helicopter gunships targeted several militant hideouts in the Daburai, Mamuzai, Khadizai, and Ghiljo areas, killing between 7 and 10 militants and wounding 10 others. (Reuters, The News)

According to BBC Urdu, the majority of Orakzai’s population had fled the region prior to the commencement of this latest operation, but on Friday Orakzai’s political administrators directed residents of Stori Khel and Feroz Khel to evacuate their homes. The military opened main roads to allow the people to leave, but searched the internally displaced people (IDPs) to ensure no militants were able to flee the region. (The News)


Day Two - March 25, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day Two - March 25, 2010

Inspector General Frontier Corps (IGFC) Major General Tariq Khan issued a statement that Operation “Khwakh Ba De Sham” is “progressing well”. (AFP)

Approximate Taliban casualties: 48-71 killed today, 69-96 killed since beginning of operation. (Reuters, Dawn, AP)

Military casualties: 2 FC soldiers wounded today, 3-4 FC wounded since beginning of operation. (Dawn, Frontier Post)

Pakistani Air Force (PAF) jets bombarded several militant hideouts in the Mamuzai and Daburai areas of Upper Orakzai. A madrassa, a school, and a mosque were said to be among the buildings targeted by the air strikes in the Arghanjo area of Mamuzai. Security officials say a meeting of Taliban leadership loyal to Maulvi Toofan’s group was being held in one of these buildings at the time of the attack. Another report indicates that most of the militants killed belonged to the Aslam Farooqi and Tariq Afridi groups. Additionally, one of the structures hit reportedly belonged to the non-violent group Tableeghi Jamaat, killing 10 people. Air strikes in the Daburai area destroyed three Taliban hideouts, killing six militants and wounding five others. Various reports put the total number of militants killed in the attacks at between 44 and 67. (Frontier Post, Reuters, Dawn, AFP, AP)

Four militants were killed and one soldier was wounded in clearing operations in the Mirobak and Feroz Khel areas. A local Taliban commander by the name of Mian Gul was also reportedly captured along with a large quantity of hand grenades and other arms. Additionally, one soldier was injured in Kalaya as Taliban militants continued to fire rockets and mortars into the town. (Dawn, Frontier Post)

Hafiz Sakhi, a former Taliban commander, has announced his support for the security forces fighting in Orakzai. (Frontier Post)

The bodies of two more tribal elders kidnapped from Hangu district by the Taliban were discovered in the Sara Mela area. The executed elders were identified as Gul Hakeem and Fazal Jameel. The body of one other unidentified victim was also found. Three more tribal leaders are still being held by the Taliban. (Dawn, Frontier Post)

Thousands of civilians are said to have fled the area, but the total number of IDP’s is still unclear. (BBC)


Day One - March 24, 2010

The above map lists those places that were locatable geographically and thus may not depict all locations in which fighting took place

Day One - March 24, 2010

Operation “Khwakh Ba De Sham” began close to midnight of March 23rd/24th and Pakistani security forces, including the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) forces, and backed up by jet, gunship and artillery support, entered Taliban controlled areas of Orakzai. Forces attempted to clear enemy-held areas around Orakzai’s main town of Kalaya. (AFP/DAWN, The News)

Military force involved: At least 5 battalions drawn from the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Frontier Constabulary, supported by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets, Army Cobra helicopter gunships and heavy artillery. (AFP)

Approximate Taliban casualties: 21-25, according to differing reports. (Geo, The News)

Military casualties: 1-2 FC soldiers wounded. (AP, BBC Urdu/CAO, The News)

Security forces reportedly launched operations in Hashmat Khan Kili, Qeematkhel, Mirobak, Shna Naka, Anjani, Ferozkhel, Stori Khel, Khalil Kalay. (Frontier Post, The News)

Security forces tightened security at exit and entry points around Orakzai to prevent an exodus of militants into the settled areas of the NWFP. Security has been heightened in Doaba, Thal and Hangu. (The News)

Resistance was reported in Anjani, Hashmat Khal Kili, Qeemat Khel and Shna Naka. One soldier was reported wounded in the fighting. According to local reports, the militants were unable to offer sustained resistance and were largely fleeing to safer locations. Some Taliban fighters were reported fleeing with their dead towards Indarra, near the border with Khyber agency. 11 militants were reportedly killed in clashes. (Geo, Daily Times, The News, Daily Times, AFP/DAWN)

In their push towards Kalaya, security forces assaulted and took control of Anjani, Zera, Chamjanna, Hashmat Khan Kili, Shna Naka, Mirobak, Qeemat Khel, Shantana, and Feroz Khel, according to various sources. (BBC Urdu/CAO, The News)

PAF jets and army helicopter gunships launched strikes in Sultanzai, Anjani, Stori Khel, Malandra, Hindar, Mashini Killay, Anjani and Mamuzai. 12 militants were reportedly killed in airstrikes and six hideouts, a bunker, and explosive-filled tanker and a militant training center were also destroyed. (The News, Frontier Post, BBC Urdu/CAO, AFP/DAWN)

Militants offered only sporadic resistance but fired mortars and rockets at military positions around Kalaya. One report claims one soldier was injured by the indirect fire; according to another the shelling caused no casualties. (BBC Urdu/CAO, The News)

The military established a temporary camp in Kalaya and imposed curfews in Mirobak, Feroz Khel, Chamjanna, Zera, Khwaja Khidr, Hindar and Aakhel areas. (The News)

According to news sources, eighty percent of Orakzai’s population had already fled the region in anticipation of a military operation. (BBC Urdu/CAO)

Elsewhere, Taliban militants execute one of six tribal elders abducted two days earlier from the district of Hangu. His body was found in Ghiljo in Upper Orakzai. (Daily Times, The News)


(Original photos available at Pakistanarmy.gov.pk, CriticalThreats.org and Google Earth)

 

[Cha.Cal]

Pakistani troops kill 28 militants in northwest

By HUSSAIN AFZAL (AP) – 56 minutes ago

PARACHINAR, Pakistan — Pakistani troops stormed militant positions and helicopters destroyed vehicles carrying insurgents near the Afghan border Thursday, killing 28 suspected militants and forcing thousands of civilians to flee, officials said.

The offensive in the Orakzai tribal region is aimed at flushing out Pakistani Taliban insurgents who had fled an army onslaught further south. Government official Sami Ullah said at least 18 militants died in clashes with troops in Orakzai.

As a group of insurgents fled to the neighboring Kurram region, helicopters hit three vehicles, killing 10 more militants and wounding some others, local military commander Lt. Col. Akbar Butt said.

Orakzai is a major base for supporters of Hakimullah Mehsud, the Pakistani Taliban's top commander, who is believed to have died in a January U.S. missile strike near Afghanistan. The Taliban deny Mehsud is dead.

The militants have been fleeing to Orakzai and other parts of the northwest to avoid the army's offensive in the South Waziristan tribal region, long a Pakistani Taliban stronghold.

Tens of thousands of Orakzai residents have fled the area over the past few months as the military has launched airstrikes and other operations there.

Over the past 10 days, at least 10,000 civilians have moved to a camp set up by the government in the Kohat area just outside the tribal belt, said Janzeb Khan, a government official. The government is providing food and other facilities to them, he said.

Orakzai usually has a population of 450,000 and borders the tribal regions of Khyber and Kurram.