The Battle for Orakzai & Khyber Agencies

[ejaz007]

Search operation in Orakzai, Kurrum underway
Updated at: 0600 PST, Friday, April 02, 2010


PESHAWAR: Many extremists have been killed while as many their suspected hideouts, they had carved out in separated parts of Kurrum and Orakzai Agencies, were destroyed as security forces continued search operation against insurgents on Friday, Geo news reported.

According to sources, a total of 200 terrorists were killed, meanwhile, their 30 key suspected hideouts were destroyed including 5 training centers amid a 10-day long search operation kicked off by security forces, aiming at removal of insurgents in central Kurrum Agency and Orakzai Agency.

Security forces gained control over terrorists’ main hideout namely Garh Dogar some weeks ago.

Talking to Geo news in Dogar, Commanding Officer Kurrum Militia Forces Colonel Akbar Butt said a suspected vehicle, under possession of an Afghan Commander Mullah Tofan, has also been seized meanwhile forces continued search operation against insurgents across two agencies.

Search operation in Orakzai, Kurrum underway

 

[ejaz007]

Taliban infighting claims six lives in Orakzai

PESHAWAR: Six Taliban, including a local commander, were killed and five other injured during a gunfight between two rival Taliban factions in Orakzai Agency, sources said on Thursday. Commander Anwarul Haq was among those killed as firing erupted between rival groups in a government school in Chappar Mashti in Lower Orakzai. Five Taliban were also injured. Clashes between rival Taliban sections – led by Mullah Toofan and Maulana Rafique – have resulted in killing of scores of militants in the past. app


Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Janbaz]

27 including militant commander killed in Orakzai, Mohmand

ORAKZAI AGENCY – At least 27 militants were killed and five others injured, as gunship helicopters pounded the suspected hideouts of militants in several areas of Oarakzai Agency here on Friday.
According to sources, security forces with the help of gunship helicopters, targeted Sargira, Kasha and Shakar Tangi areas killing several militants and injuring others. Security forces also destroyed three hideouts of militants as well.
Besides, a degree college and technical institution were set on fire by militants in Jalaka area of Oarakzai Agency. Militants also blew up a girls’ middle school in Baizot with explosive devices. However, no loss of life was reported in the incidents. Militants also opened fire on a vehicle in Charkhel locality of the Agency, which was heading towards Peshawar from Parachinar and resultantly a man was killed and another received injuries.
APP adds - Twenty-seven militants including Taliban militant commander Ziaur Rehman were killed during security forces ongoing operation in troubled Orakzai Agency and Kurram agency, official sources said. Three vehicles and five hideouts of Taliban militants were also destroyed by the security forces, the sources added. Militant Commander Ziaur Rehman and his five accomplices were killed when gunship helicopters pounded their hideouts in Utmankhel, Meelo Sur and Bezote areas of lower Orakzai Agency. In Ferozkhel, a convoy of militants vehicles was attacked by the security forces. Consequently, ten militants were killed and five vehicles were destroyed, the official sources said.
In another clash with security forces in Dogar area of Central Kurram Agency, ten militants of Mullah Noor Jamal group were killed.
A vehicle of Afghan police was recovered from Mullah Noor Jamal, who, however, managed to escape towards Orakzai agency, the official sources added.
A basic health unit was set ablaze in Utmankhel by the militants, and in Hangu a mine planted near the residence of a female police constable was defused by bomb disposal squad, said the sources.
Our Monitoring Desk adds: according to some reports, militants blew up four more educational institutes located in different areas of Orakzai Agency and Mohmad Agency. While another girls model school was blown up with explosives in Bezot area. However, no casualty was reported. In another incident, unidentified miscreants blew up a government boys’ high school with explosive material in Tehsil Kakro of Muhmand Agency.

27 including militant commander killed in Orakzai, Mohmand | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[ajpirzada]

Orakzai operation will take a load off Peshawar, settled areas

* Ex-tribal MP says world least concerned about region as it doesn’t border Afghanistan

By Iqbal Khattak

PESHAWAR: Battle for the control of Orakzai Agency will help ease pressure on Peshawar, Kohat and Hangu districts and the government forces’ victory will have a profound impact on the Taliban, interviews with military and civilian officials revealed. The military finally sent ground forces after several airstrikes to attack Taliban since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan headed for Orakzai for shelter during Operation Rah-e-Nijat.

The recently-launched Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham has led to several clashes with the Taliban and the government and people have suffered immensely. However, no significant Taliban areas have been captured so far.

“When Orakzai is cleared of militants, it will naturally ease pressure on Hangu, Kohat and Peshawar,” a military official said. “We need to push the militants back.” Orakzai borders Khyber in the north, Kurram Agency in the west, Hangu in the south and Kohat in the east. However, it does not share a border with Afghanistan, which is why Islamabad faces little threat from external forces, although Orakzai was the first area to support the Mullah Omar-led Taliban after the US ousted them from power in 2001.

Concerned: “Since Orakzai does not border Afghanistan, the world is least concerned about it, although it was the first place where an organised group was formed to support Taliban,” a former tribal lawmaker told Daily Times.

He welcomed Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham but said, “It is very late. The US has not given much importance to Orakzai as it does not share a border with Afghanistan. The government did not order action because there was no US pressure,” he opined.

However, Americans also realised their mistake of ignoring Orakzai and the first drone attack in the agency took place in Khadezai area a year ago, killing 12 Taliban. Orakzai is strategically-important for the Taliban eyeing Afghanistan’s eastern provinces through Kurram. However, the Shia community frustrated their plans.

The Pervez Musharraf government’s policies allowed militancy to establish in Orakzai, while banned sectarian groups joining the Taliban compounded problems for Pakistan and Kurram’s contact with the rest of the country was cut off when the Taliban took control of Orakzai.

Mullah Noor Jamal – also known as Mullah Toofan – is leading the group of Taliban here. The Mamozai tribe is heavily “infested” by militancy while the Shia-dominated Alikhel tribe went against the militants, paying a heavy price with more than a 100 people killed in October 2008. With an operation in Orakzai, the military now has hold over all seven tribal districts and the number of troops has increased four times since Gen Ashfaq Kayani became the army chief in November 2007.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[ameer219]

Up to 15 militants killed as Orakzai operation continues

PESHAWAR: Pakistani troops backed by helicopter gunships killed up to 15 militants in a clash in a restive tribal region near the Afghanistan border on Saturday, officials said.

The fighting erupted in Orakzai Agency, where security forces have been pressing a new offensive against the Taliban in a bid to eradicate those believed to have fled a major offensive in South Waziristan last year.

Four soldiers were also wounded in the fighting which took place between the towns of Goeen and Hindara when militants based in mountain hideouts attacked a military convoy, spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps Major Fazlur Rehman told AFP.

“We have reports that up to 15 militants have been killed so far,” he said.

Local administration official Sajjad Ahmed said helicopter gunships pounded the rebels and initial reports said at least 13 Taliban fighters were killed.

Six other militants wounded in the clash have been arrested, Ahmed told AFP.


The military has announced a running death toll of more than 100 militants in the Orakzai operation since late last month, but the figures cannot be verified independently because access to the remote area is extremely limited.



DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Up to 15 militants killed as Orakzai operation continues

 

[GSM MAMA]

 

[air marshal]

HANGU: Security forces on sunday killed at least 21 militants, while 15 others were injured during the clashes in Lower Orakzai Agency. - AFP

 

[nightrider_saulat]

hell day today for terrorists in orakzai

 

[NWO]

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Fresh clashes kill 40 militants in Orakzai

They can't have much manpower left. 170 dead in only a few weeks.

 

[NWO]

Plus all the other deaths, numbering most likely 1000+, over the past year or so.

 

[nightrider_saulat]

more then 2000 deaths both in swat and bajaur nearly 1000-2000 in all from kurram ,mohmad,khyber and north waziristan during (2007-till now,after lal-masjid operation)...and nearly 700 deaths in recent SWA operation.....
i think TTP must be running short of coffins these days...

 

[mshoaib61]

KALAYA: Security forces backed by tanks and artillery repulsed Taliban attacks in Pakistan’s Orakzai tribal region on Sunday, killing nearly 40 militants, a government official said.

Orakzai, southwest of Peshawar, has become a Taliban hub since security forces mounted offensives against their strongholds in other parts of the northwest over the past year, security officials say.

Pakistan has recently stepped up assaults in Orakzai and the militants have been retaliating.

Sajid Khan, a government official in the region, told Reuters that several dozen militants attacked a security post in a village early on Sunday.

“They used rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns, but our soldiers' response was quick and tough,” said Khan, who is based in Kalaya, the region's main town.

Twenty-five militants were killed and 10 wounded in the clash, he said.

Hours later, militants ambushed a military convoy in a nearby village and at least a dozen militants were killed, Khan said.

He said only one government soldier was wounded in the clashes.

There was no independent confirmation of Khan's casualty tolls but a security official, who declined to be identified, gave similar figures in the clashes.

According to security officials, about 170 militants have been killed in several weeks of clashes in Orakzai, but there has been no independent verification of the figures.

Orakzai was a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud who is widely believed to have been killed in a US drone strike in the North Waziristan tribal region in January.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Fresh clashes kill 40 militants in Orakzai

 

[SMC]

I think most of them have escaped to Afghanistan.

They were mentioning that they had 10,000 fighters in SWA. Of that we killed roughly 800. Rest escaped to other tribal areas, other areas of Pakistan, and Afghanistan. From that we killed roughly 1500 in other tribal agencies so far. So about 2,500 dead in total.

I think it's safe to assume that some - maybe 10-20% - of them won't be joining TTP again so those can be discounted as well. So that still leaves upwards of 5,000 TTP in rest of Pakistan, tribal areas, and Afghanistan.

I can bet majority of them are in Afghanistan.

 

[ejaz007]

40 Taliban killed in Orakzai clashes

* Militants blow up girls’ school in Mohmand Agency

PESHAWAR: Security forces, backed by tanks and artillery, repulsed Taliban attacks in Orakzai Agency on Sunday, killing 40 Taliban, official said.

A political administration official told Daily Times that dozens of Taliban attacked a security post in the village of Syed Khalil Baba. The security forces repulsed the Taliban attack and killed 20 militants in the process, while another 14 were injured. Eight Taliban were arrested and the security forces also destroyed six militant hideouts.

Separately, 12 Taliban were killed in a two-hour in clash with security forces at Shana Karapa area of Lower Orakzai Agency.

Also, the security forces killed eight Taliban at the Andara area of the agency. Only one Pakistani soldier was wounded in the clash.

Orakzai Agency was a stronghold of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakeemullah Mehsud who is widely believed to have been killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan in January.

Blown up: Separately, unidentified militants blew up a girls’ primary school in Bakhmal Shah area of Mohmand Agency.

The offensive in Orakzai is the latest push by the security forces to rout the extremists. abdul saboor khan/app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[air marshal]