Posted on 06/17/2004 11:16:30 PM PDT by AdmSmith
ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- A tribal leader accused of harboring Al Qaeda militants in Pakistan's western border region was killed Thursday night in a targeted missile strike, according to Pakistan intelligence sources. The Associated Press quoted an army spokesman Friday as identifying the tribal leader as Nek Mohammed, a former Taliban fighter.
He was killed late Thursday at the home of another tribal chief, the spokesman said.
"We were tracking him down and he was killed last night by our hand," Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan told The Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Musharraf Vows to Crush Al-Qaida Men, Their Supporters in Tribal Region.
(just thought I'd put this here on this thread also.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1164043/posts
As long as no one has to hear us pronounce them, we're okay.
"Baloch community, which is again in a state of political ferment ......."
Balochestan is a hot spot.
The deadline is postponed until July 10:
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en69034&F_catID=&f_type=source
Militants clash with security forces
WANA, July 1: Security forces and militants exchanged fire close to the Pakistan-Afghan border in the rugged South Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday. There were no reports of any casualties on either side, official and tribal sources said.
The fighting began when militants attacked a security force checkpoint in Khamrang near Shkai, about 28 kilometres to the west of the regional headquarters. Both sides were reported to have used heavy weapons in the clash that lasted three hours.
Khamrang, a thickly-forested area close to the Shawal Mountain Range on the Afghan border, is widely seen as the new hideout of foreign militants. Hundreds of foreign militants are believed to have fled to the mountainous area following a military operation in their former stronghold of Shakai last month.
Meanwhile, Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen are meeting yet again for another grand jirga in Shulam near Wana to discuss a 10-day deadline for them to hand over wanted local militants Maulvi Abbas and Javed Karmazkhel.
The deadline set by the administration in Wana expires on July 10. Maulavi Abbas has been accused of sheltering foreign militants, mainly Arabs of Middle Eastern origin, while Javed is a local tribesman associated with the Taliban.
Ahmadzai Wazir tribe have produced two elders, but we are waiting for the valued targets Maulvi Abbas and Javed Karmazkhel:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3860375.stm
Tribesmen in the South Waziristan region of Pakistan have handed over two tribal elders wanted by authorities.
Dawar Khan and Eda Khan were among seven locals suspected of sheltering al-Qaeda militants.
The handover took place in the town of Wana, at a meeting between government officials and men belonging to the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe.
The two men had survived a fierce offensive last month by Pakistani troops hunting for suspected militants.
The operation left more than 100 people dead, including Nek Mohammad, the man who was believed to be leading tribal resistance to the Pakistani troops.
Many tribesmen accuse Pakistan's security forces of fighting against them on behalf of US troops who are continuing to mount anti-Taleban operations across the rugged border in Afghanistan.
July 10th? Hmmm.......hope the Pakistanis are using the time wisely......
According to this article, the deadline was Friday not July 10: http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=69561
WANA, July 03 (Online): Jirga which was supposed to handover two wanted tribesmen including Maulvi Abbas and Javed Wazir failed to do the trick as the deadline for the surrender of the said men passed on Friday.
A grand Jirga meeting was held at Sholam on Friday in which tribal elites of Ahmad Zai Wazir tribes urged Mazkhel and Mulk Khel tribes to handover the wanted men, who are thought to be sheltered by these tribes.
The tribal elites warned that in case they did not cooperate with govrnment they would meet Yar Gul Khel tribe like treatment.
The representatives of the wanted men's tribes appealed to Jirga to give them more time for the surrender of Maulvi Abbas and Javed Wazir saying they were holding negotiations with the two.
"We are trying to bring them round on surrender. We would hand over the wanted men to government soon", they said.
The Jirga meeting was adjourned till Saturday. However, search operation would be launched against the foreign militants in Manda area today (Saturday).
Later, officials of political administration assured tribal elites that they would help lifting of economic blockade slapped in Wana if they extended their cooperation during the search operation. Ahmad Zai Wazir tribes on Friday morning handed two men including Gairat Khan and Dawar Khan to government. Both were wanted by government for allegedly giving sanctuary to miscreants.
Sources revealed that exchange of fire took place between miscreants and security force at Khaliding on Thursday night and both sides used small and heavy weapons. Tribesmen hurled grenade at military personnel trenches, prompting the troops to retaliate which resulted in heavy damage to both sides.
Here are excerpts from an article by Abid Ullah Jan, a supporter of fundamentalists. If you want to read his article with a lot of crap go here: http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/7923/
Well before General Musharraf's declaration of a "high value target," the US had forced Pakistan to take all the necessary steps for a successful operation. In an extraordinary development, the Pashtun Corps Commander in Peshawar, Lieutenant-General Ali Jan Orakzai, was retired prematurely. Major General Safdar Hussain, from Punjab, took his place and instantly dispatched troops to South Waziristan.
Orakzai has been in Washington's bad books since 2003, when he openly condemned as "discriminatory" the behavior of US authorities towards Pakistanis. He made these stinging remarks at functions hosted by the Pakistani embassy in the US. Despite being an official guest, Orakzai was forced to go through a plethora of screenings and checks at the immigration counter on his arrival.
There were reports about the US authorities' special request for splitting armed forces on ethnic basis. It was proposed that in the next phase of Pakistan's war on Pakistan, all Pashtun officers should be separated from non-Pashtun officers. Pashtoon are considered sympathetic to the ethnic Pashtun in the areas chosen for occupation.
Traditionally, a majority of Pakistan army belongs from Punjab, but at the top level the ratio of Punjabi and Pashtun officers was not reflecting much disparity. For the past two years, Pashtun officers have been greatly cut to size. In recent promotions, 18 brigadiers were elevated to the position of major-general, while only one Pashtun could earn the same title.
It will take some time before the facts resurface about some colonels, who have been arrested for refusing to fight against their own people in Waziristan. Who are these army officers, what is their background and what is their status right now, say in terms of trial, is a challenge for the journalists and human rights groups in Pakistan to dig out.
The 70,000 Pakistani troops that have been scouring the tribal border areas in tandem with the US Task Force 121 and British SAS troops will never get the "high value targets" because they are either not there or getting them is not a priority at the moment when the focus in on melting down the "most high value target" - Pakistan.
Musharraf orders crackdown on 30 Karachi terrorist groups
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_3-7-2004_pg1_1
By Shaukat Piracha
ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf has ordered a crackdown on almost 30 terrorist groups in Karachi after a report on various dimensions of terrorism in the port city was presented to him.
?A comprehensive report covering all aspects of terrorism in Karachi, with particular focus on major terror groups, prepared by the Interior Ministry in collaboration with the provincial government and the law-enforcement agencies, was presented to President Musharraf at a recent high-level meeting. The president has ordered an immediate crackdown against these groups,? sources told Daily Times on Friday.
Before leaving for China after attending the meeting, Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said that the government had identified major terrorist groups in Karachi and a plan had been made to crush them.
?So far, around 30 terrorist groups have been identified in Karachi. Of them, 15 are sectarian-related groups whereas 15 are related to terrorism directed against Western interests,? says the report, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily Times. It adds that 184 terrorists belonging to these groups have been arrested, 79 have so far been convicted, including 51 who were awarded death sentences.
?Ironically, not a single death sentence has been executed. All are pending appeal beyond the 30 days mandatory period,? the report says.
The report adds that 21 top terrorists, including masterminds Amjad Farooqi, Asif Chotoo, Naveedul Hassan, Raza Imran and Saud Memon, are at large and another 19 belonging to the middle planning tier are also wanted by the authorities. ?Therefore, the threat of further acts of terrorism looms large,? the report warns.
In Karachi, 222 activists are under surveillance under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. According to the report, preventive measures have been taken to prevent further attacks. ?High-profile target premises have been divided into 15 security zones with round the clock cordons and checking of vehicles. Intelligence collection is geared up, CID strengthened and sanctuaries are being swooped upon. Mosques and madrassas are being monitored and the donation collection is being checked,? says the report.
It has been recommended in the report that the ATCs should appoint judges on contract and establish appellate courts to hear terrorism cases only. ?Upgrading the CID requires Rs 42 million whereas the Special Branch and Bomb Disposal Squads require Rs 50 million,? the report says. The report has analysed terrorist activities in Karachi during the last two and a half years. Overall, 27 incidents happened during this period and 24 were solved.
Terrorism in Karachi peaked in 2004. So far, 10 terrorism-related cases have been reported, five of them between May 7 and June 10.
These include the attack on the Karachi corps commander; attacks on a police station and Ranger?s picket; two separate attacks on Haideri and Ali Raza mosques which killed 49 innocent people; and the murder of Mufti Shamzai.
?All these cases, including the attack on the corps commander, have been worked out. This case has unearthed a new terrorist group ? Jandallah ? with links to Wana and Al Qaeda. Eight terror cases in 2004 have been traced to this group,? says the report. The report adds that suicide bombers in both attacks on imambargahs have been identified, their mentors have been arrested and they belong to Lashkar-e-Janghvi.
Someone has suggested that OBL could be sitting smack in the middle of one of these "schools" in Karachi and it would be just short of impossible to do anything about it. (Oh, I know the "nuke em all" "MOABites" have a solution, but I mean one that does not engulf the whole region in war this side of November.) Nevertheless, any pressure applied complicates his, and Zawahiri's situation.
Any truth to that, HAL?
(Open the Pod bay door, please, HAL... HAL, do you read me?)
--Dave Bowman
Send me five bucks or I page you-know-who. This will be your only warning!
--Boot Hill
Well, I'm willing to compromise with the MOABites. We can engulf the region in war AFTER November.
One thing we can say about Mushi, he has guts, or maybe another way of saying it, he has a deep desire to stay alive and in power, and he is willing to take risks to further that aim.
Tribal jirga stays inconclusive on issue of foreign militants
WANA, July 07 (Online): Tribal jirga called by Ahmad Zai Wazir tribe on the issue of foreign militants allegedly hiding in Southern Waziristan has concluded here without reaching any result dividing the tribe into anti and pro government groups.
A tribal jirga of Ahmad Zai Wazir tribe was held on Tuesday in the area of Soorpul of Rustam bazaar. The deadline set by the government on foreign militants holed up in the area was discussed in jirga. However it ended inconclusive.
Sources told that Ahmad Zai Wazir tribe split into two groups during the proceedings of jirga. One group supported government stance and while the other opposed the government, the way it was pursuing to address the aliens issue. The schism caused in the tribe has complicated the situation.
On the other hand, in the areas of Dog and Racha Kata members of reconciliatory committee of Amazai Wazir tribes have announced to stage 2 days sit in on the houses of two wanted local militants including Javed Wazir and Moulvi Abbas who have refused to surrender before the government. The committee has vowed to mount political pressure unless these two wanted persons surrender them.
However tribesmen from Beer mal including Malik Hashim, Sarwar Masti Khel, Shahid kajal khel and Mat-I-Ullah Kajal Khel has demanded of political agent in writing to cancel the transfer orders of former political muharrar pleading that the muharrar has played a positive role in the area therefore, his posting orders be withdrawn.
http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=69945
LOL, Here is more details on the tribal tradion to sit in the wanted mans house, posted by nuconvert. Hurt the wanted mans family financially:
http://www.dawn.com/2004/07/07/top6.htm
Volunteers to stay in wanted men's houses
By Our Correspondent
WANA, July 6: The Ahmadzai Wazir tribe on Tuesday sent 120 volunteers to the rugged Shakai area in South Waziristan to live in houses of two wanted tribal militants until they agree to surrender to the government.
The Ahmadzai elders had decided that the volunteers would stay at the residences of Mohammad Javed and Maulvi Abbas according to the tribal traditions unless they gave in unconditionally.
The decision was taken after a 300-strong volunteer force failed to catch the wanted militants. So far, the militants have refused to surrender. During their stay at the militants' houses, the volunteers would be provided with food and other facilities by their families.
According to the tribal traditions, if a wanted person refuses to surrender to the government the fellow tribesmen deploy volunteers at his residence to cripple him financially. An elder said that the action had been taken as a last-ditch effort to force the wanted militants to surrender.
I wonder what happens if the wife is a terrible cook?
The Pakistanis have different ideas than we do, sometimes hard for us to understand, but it is clear we all share a fear of large smelly unwanted house guests that hog the remote and feed their intestinal disorders with every last scrap from the fridge.
Bravo Pakistan.
In other news, I'm not sure if this made the radar at the time but here it is, just to make sure, excerpts from Nek Mohammad's probable last interview with Western Media:
"Tribal leader Nek Mohammed has been
killed by the Pakistani military in an
overnight raid.
Twice this week, the BBC's Imtiaz Ali
interviewed the targeted militant.
Mohammed spoke to our correspondent
by telephone from an undisclosed (Heh-heh)
location."
Q: It is said that you are a trained
fighter because you have taken part in
the Afghan wars.
Yes of course, I have spent a lot of time with the Taleban in Afghanistan. I
went there soon after the completion of my religious education here. I fought
alongside the Taleban against the Northern Alliance and then also against US
aggression.
I was based in Bagram at the time of the US invasion of Afghanistan.
Thousands of tribesmen took part in the Afghan jihad. Whenever foreign
forces have committed aggression against Afghanistan, tribal people have
always been at the forefront in support of their Afghan brethren against
foreign invaders.
Q: The government wants to once again start the political process to solve
the controversy of foreign elements. Would you talk to the government about
this?
No. In no way. I totally reject this process. The government has started fresh
military operations and we will resist them and we will continue our struggle
till achieving our goal.
Q: What is your goal?
It is very clear. We want to eradicate the US-installed puppet governments in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. Once we overthrow them, then there will be peace
and no-one will be able to harm Muslims.
Read the rest at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3818005.stm
Sorry if this has already been posted.
Finally, I sense that the Pak military is still dotting the i's and crossing the t's after the Shakai Valley (et al) operations, and that it may yet be a while before additional maneuvers of significance take place.
It will take a good bit of time for the troops to advance (possibly engaging small units along the way) to cover the numerous terrain oddities to close off the perimeter they hope to establish. They also have to purge the surrounding ridgelines of enemy positions, probably involving some fierce fighting in some cases, and we may or may not hear about these engagements.
Once the consolidation has been effected, however, I expect the Shawal Valley region to be back in the headlines yet again. The hammer is being drawn back and readied for the big swing.
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