Posted on 02/24/2004 5:58:13 PM PST by swarthyguy
WANA/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security agencies Tuesday arrested at least 20 terrorists including some foreigners from Wana in South Waziristan during an operation against al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives hiding in the Afghan-bordering tribal belt, recovering huge quantity of ammunition besides seizing a large number of passports from their possessions.
However, the identity of the foreigners arrested during the operation remained unknown till the last reports came in. Also, people from both the sides remained unscathed during the crackdown.
Some reports suggested the foreigners hailed from Arab States, Chechnya and Uzbekistan. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major-General Shaukat Sultan informing the journalists about the military operation in Wana said the Pakistani forces without any foreign assistance started off the operation on Tuesday morning. “The search operation against the al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists taking refuge in Wana had been completed successfully during which at least 20 terrorists possessing passports and other relevant documents were held by the Pakistani forces”, he said.
On the identity of foreigners, Major-General Shaukat Sultan rejected as baseless the reports that the held terrorists were Afghans. “Yes, we have captured foreigners during the crackdown”, he said.
However, he refused to disclose identity of the captured foreign elements on the plea, “the time’s not right to tell the same as the revelation of their identity could cast negative impact on the investigations”. He further said the security agencies had left the area after successful completion of the crackdown and “now, the political administration of Wana is carrying out the post-operation activities”.
In reply to a query, the ISPR chief said during the operation, some suspected locals were held; however, they were released on the recommendations of tribal elders and Maliks. Gen Shaukat Sultan said the military operation was carried out with the full backing of the locals and tribal elders.
In response to yet another query, he said the Pakistani authorities would carry out the post-operation investigations only. “No foreign bodies will be included in the investigation process at all”, he said.
Our correspondent from Chashma adds: The Wana operation was controlled from the Mianwali airbase. In the wee hours on Tuesday morning, 200 commandos of Special Services Group of Pakistan Army under the command of 35 military officers with the full backing of cobra helicopters participated in the operations against al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists.
Meanwhile, while talking to newsmen the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the search operation remained peaceful as no bullet was fired during the period of its continuation". He added that as soon as the target area of operation was besieged the terrorists surrendered.
Clarifying the impression that the operational forces dismantled some dwelling units during the operation, he said, no operational force had done so, rather it was done by the people of Jirga acting upon an agreement reached earlier with the local people in this behalf.
Strongly brushing aside the impression that some foreign forces had participated in the operation, he said, the armed forces of the country are fully capable to meet with any situation in an effective and professional manner. "They are competent and capable enough to deal with any situation and they do not need any foreign assistance," he said.
When asked about identification of the arrested terrorists during the operation, he said, the investigations are continuing and further details are awaited. However, he confirmed that there were some foreigners included among those arrested during the operation. W
eapons, ammunition and audio cassettes have also been recovered during the search operation, he added. Answering a question, he reiterated that such operations were routine and part of the ongoing war on terror and conducted on as and when required. When his attention was drawn towards various foreign reports of tightening noose against different Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said there was hardly any substance in them.
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