On the technical capabilities I'm short on knowledge. There are more than a few people on FR that follow these things very closely, or have real experience to share. I'm not one of them.
OK, but here are more non-technical info:
http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=68056
Nek Muhammad killed in missile attack near South Waziristan
Friday June 18, 2004 (0307 PST)
WANA, June19 (Online): Nek Muhammad, the most wanted local facilitator of the foreign elements along with his two associates was killed by Security Forces in a missile attack on suspected hideouts in Dhoge village lying 5 km from Wana near the Afghan border. "Presence of Nek Muhammad, local facilitator of the foreign elements along with his associates was suspected in one such hideout, which was appropriately hit by the security forces. He is believed to be killed," said a statement issued here by Inter Services Public Relations Directorate.
Nek Muhammad 27 was accused of sheltering Al-Qaeda-linked militants in tribal areas for the last three year. He was an active member of Taliban malitia since 1995 to their fall in 2002. "While activities of security forces will continue, the political process will also move at tandem, rather it is being accelerated, so as to allow the foreign elements to avail the government's offer of amnesty in return for their surrender," said a spokesman of ISPR.
ISPR Director General Major General Shaukat Sultan while confirming the incident said that operations of Security Forces in various part of South Waziristan Agency are continuing against suspected hideouts of miscreants.
Meanwhile, Online correspondent giving details from Wana said that security troops and fighter jets swooped down on suspected Al Qaeda hideouts near the Afghan border. It was their third offensive this year in a protracted campaign to rid the tribal region of Al-Qaeda-linked militants Total five people were killed in the attack including Nek Muhamamd, his two associates including Shah Rukh Khan and Marat Khan and two sons of local tribal Sher Zaman were also killed in attack on their house where Nek Muhammad was hiding. They have been identified as Fakhar Zaman 12 and Muhammad Zaman 14. The injured were rushed to local hospital, however, they succumbed to their injures.
Nek Muhammad had been given amnesty under Shakai agreement between the government and tribal. However, a deadlock emerged between the two sides on the issue of registration of foreign elements, which led to new military operation by the security forces.
Hospital sources also confirmed the death of Nek Muhammad and his associates. These sources said Nek Muhammad was in critical condition when he was taken to hospital, however, at 2:30 a.m. he expired. Eyewitnesses informed that the dead body of Nek Muhammad has been sent to his native village Kalosha .
It is learnt that Nek Muhammad was holding refuge in the house of Sher Zaman Ashraf Khel, a local tribal, when security forces targeted them. Earlier, the Security Forces detected Nek Muhammad's phone call and then launched offensive. The operation was conducted at about 9:45 p.m. Reports said that three close associates of Nek Muhammad including Ashraf Khan Noora Salam, Maulvi Abbas and Maulvi Abdul Aziz were still at large.
Meanwhile, thousands of local tribal attended the funeral prayers of Nek Muhammad in his native village Kalosha. Eyewitness say right side of his body including face was badly damaged due to injuries. Funeral prayer of Fakhar Zaman and Rehmat Zaman (two brothers) who killed in the attack were also offered.
ISPR Director General Major General Shaukat Sultan said that the security forces are continuing operation against suspected hideouts of foreign miscreants in South Waziristan Agency since June 11.
Earlier two hideouts of miscreants' were destroyed in Shakai and Angor Ada. He said the security forces are using different weapons in the operation against miscreants. He, however, informed that no area has been cordoned of in the operation, as security forces are only targeting suspected hideouts.
Paramilitary troops traded fires
Paramilitary troops traded fires with the suspected militants in Sam area, a town of Ludha, in the wee hours on Thursday but no reports of human causality or major damage to property were received.
The foreign militants opened indiscriminate firing on the Government High School building in Sam at round 2:00 am on Thursday.
The miscreants also fired some missiles at the school, where the Wana Scouts were deployed. The building was partially damaged in the attack.
The paramilitary troops returned the fires and forced the assailants to run away to some unknown destination.
Also, the helicopters of Pakistan Army Thursday started patrolling in Wana, the district headquarters of Southern Waziristan, to spot the hideouts of foreign militants and their local harbours in the area.
Meanwhile, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan told a private TV network that on Thursday morning, some miscreants opened unprovoked firing on the paramilitary troops in Ludha.
He said the security forces were made to respond to the attack.
About the patrolling of Pakistan Army choppers in Wana, the ISPR chief said it was part of the campaign to flush out the foreign militants from the tribal area.
He said the patrol was not a fresh activity and would continue until the hideouts were not demolished from the area.
Meanwhile, The Pakistan Army along with other security agencies Thursday morning launched a fresh offensive against the suspected militants of al-Qaeda network and their local sympathizer in a Pak-Afghan bordering Baghar, a village 30 kilometers from the Wana.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet fighters and gunship helicopters took part in the operation, said a local inhabitant requesting anonymity.
Baghar, a mountainous area housing dense forest is situated adjacent to the Afghan province of Patika.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan talking to a foreign news agency said the fresh operation is to target a hideout of suspected miscreants in Angoor Adda in Baghar.
He said it was part of a continuing process, which came with different intervals.
About besieging suspected militants and bombardment in the rough area, Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said the operation was continuing and it was premature to say something in this regard at the moment.
He, however, said the Army was making use of all the requisite resources in the attack against militants.
Maj Gen Sultan made it clear that there was no bombardment in the area by the PAF warplanes and choppers, saying, "We are targeting only the hideouts of miscreants".
He said at some places, troops exchanged fires with the al-Qaeda suspects and their local sympathizers.
He said a military crackdown would to be started wherever it was considered necessary
Lashkar failed to capture wanted men
Loya jirga was held at Azam Warsik under the auspices of Ahmedzai Wazir Tribes. The jirga constitutes an armed lashkar comprising four thousand men for launching a grand operation against the wanted men hiding in Shakai South Waziristan Agency.
However, Yar Gul Khel Tribal was not given representation in the Lashkar as the wanted men including Neik Muhammad, Muhammad Sharif, Abdul Aziz and Noorul Islam belonged to the same Tribe.
The armed Lashkar has been sent to Shakai where it would launch search operation against the wanted men. It is worth mentioning here that the agreement between government and wanted men had also been reached at the same area.
Ahmedzai Wazir Jirga warned foreign miscreants to leave the area or hand themselves over to the tribes, otherwise strict action would be taken against them.
Meanwhile, the situation has become worse in Wana due to imposition of economic ban. The patients from far-flung areas are badly suffering due to shortage of medicines and ban on movement of vehicles.