Pakistan Seizes Insurgent Stronghold on Afghan Border [Zawahiri hideout]

Wall Street Journal ^ | March 2, 2010 | Zahid Hussain

[La Enchiladita]

DAMADOLA, Pakistan—Pakistani forces have seized a key al Qaeda and Taliban stronghold along the border with Afghanistan that once served as a hideout for Ayman al Zawahiri, second-in-command to Osama bin Laden.

The capture of Damadola, a district in the Bajaur tribal region, is a major success in Pakistan's counterinsurgency campaign. The area had long been dominated by insurgents operating on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Pakistani forces seized the scenic district late last month, after several days of fierce fighting that Pakistan said left more than 75 foreign and local militants dead. Pakistan's military took reporters to the site, which is surrounded by snow-capped mountains less than five kilometers from the Afghan border, for the first time Tuesday.

"It was the main hub of militancy where al Qaeda operatives had moved freely," said Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan, the regional commander.

...Gen. Khan said his forces have cleared the area to the Afghan border and that the campaign against the insurgents there was in its final stage. He said the development would help the U.S.-led troops fighting the insurgents across the border.

[La Enchiladita]

Pakistani military officials said the area was also used by Mr. Zawahiri and other senior al Qaeda commanders. A large mud compound on a hilltop is believed to once have been the hideout of Mr. Zawahiri, one of the world's most-wanted terrorists, with a $25 million U.S. bounty on his head.

[hennie pennie]

Wish he was still there.

[colorado tanker]

What a difference a few years and a new government makes.

In 2006 we hit Zawahiri's compound with Hellfire missiles during an Eid feast. The Pak government at the time claimed only civilians were there and we killed women and children. 'Course, the fact the locals buried the bodies without a funeral before they could be examined was unfortunate.

Today the Paks admit we "narrowly missed" Zawahiri and that the place has been crawling with Al Qaeda for years.

[hoosiermama]

Things are heating up in PAHkeestan.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Now we are making some headway...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ping

[amom]

What a difference a few years and a new government makes.

How true, how true.

[SunkenCiv]

Pakistani forces have seized a key al Qaeda and Taliban stronghold along the border with Afghanistan that once served as a hideout for Ayman al Zawahiri...

...which is lucky for al Qaeda and the Taliban -- the stronghold *could* have fallen into enemy hands instead. Thanks La Enchiladita.

[rdl6989]

Very true. A B-52 carpet bombing of the site while Zawahiri was home would have been nice, but I’m asking a lot.

[SunkenCiv]

I’d really like to see his head carried around on a pole, but I guess these are not mutually exclusive. :’)

[G8 Diplomat]

Pakistan ۋﮧ۱م

FReepmail if you want on or off

[Marine_Uncle]

Looks like they had one heck of a cave network going for them. Saw some of the pics on the nightly news channels of how well organized the cave areas where.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I read an article that mentioned 150+ caves,....haven’t seen any pictures.

[Marine_Uncle]

As I almost spewed up my dinner while I watched between the alphabets and PBS tonight at din din, saw pictures they presented of the caves the frigen goons where using.
Long rows of bedding, weapons stores etc..
The caves held room for literally thousands of goons. All fled once the Paki went in. These bastards are what I would term **cking cowards for the most part.
As we have seen over many years, them congregate into groups, play out their false cult cries for destruction of the Jews and all that seem at some level to support them, run around like young healthy boys do anywhere in the world testing their abilities to hand run six foot high ladders, climb under barb wire, learn how to strap explosives to their mid sections....no use boring you, same shit.... then set out to figure ways of bring down airliners of innocents.
Thus apparently is the Quran in all it's glory.
Please administrator, forgive my French. Their AHoles. And at that the most dangerous AHoles. Their as bad as the millions of idiots that where fashioned within the Soviet Union over the decades. Once again Aholes.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Found some pictures at the JAWA report:

Taliban cave network found in Pakistan mountains (Over looking Bajaur: Updated Bumped Sticky)(UPDATED: Video added)

************************************EXCERPT**********************************

Something tells me this wasn't meant for the grunts.

Telegraph

Pakistan's army has discovered a complex network of 156 caves used by the Taliban and al-Qaeda dug into rocky mountains close to the Afghan border.

The tunnels, which are thought to have been created over five to seven years, were carved into sheer rock within view of the snow-capped peaks of eastern Afghanistan.

The network was found during an offensive against Islamist militants in the country's semi-autonomous tribal areas in which 75 militants were killed.

lMaj Gen Tariq Khan said the caves served as a key militant headquarters until troops overran the complex in the offensive.

"There were Egyptians, Uzbeks, Chechens and Afghans killed in the operation," he said.

Bedding including pillows and mattresses were found in the caves in Damadola, in the Bajaur tribal region, suggesting inhabitants had camped out for significant periods.

Maj Gen Khan added: "Al-Qaeda was there. They had occupied the ridges. There were 156 caves designed as a defensive complex.

A person could stay hidden for years in a complex this big.........just saying.

[Marine_Uncle]

The video from ABC is the one I was referring to. I wonder if the Paki will seal off the caves so that no one can use them in the future.