In Rome do as the Romans...
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 ...
See this link http://www.free-definition.com/Shahi-Kot-Valley.html
I see we got Omar's brother-in-law (after shootout) -
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Afghan security forces captured a brother-in-law of Mullah Omar on Tuesday as he drove near the fugitive Taliban leader’s home town, police said.
Mullah Amanullah was detained near Deh Rawood, a town in Uruzgan province 250 miles southwest of the capital, Kabul, provincial police chief Rozi Khan told The Associated Press.
Khan said Amanullah opened fire on Afghan forces who had flooded an area called Sangar after a tip and stopped his car. A police commander was killed.
“After that the other police were able to arrest him,” Khan said. Three remote-controlled bombs and a satellite telephone as well as an AK-47 assault rifle were found in the vehicle, he said.
It was not immediately clear what role Amanullah, who like many Afghans goes by one name, held in the Taliban movement or if he had any contact with Omar.
Khan said Afghan authorities might hand Amanullah over to American forces, but American spokesman Maj. Rick Peat said he had no information on the reported arrest.
Deh Rawood has been a focus of the stubborn insurgency maintained by Omar’s followers since U.S. forces and Afghan allies pushed them from power in late 2001.
More from Syed:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FG21Df02.html
Stage set for final showdown
By Syed Saleem Shahzad
KARACHI - A recent report by US think-tank Strategic Forecasting suggested that since "sovereignty" had now been transferred to Iraq, the United States would give its full attention to the problem of al-Qaeda fugitives in Pakistan's rugged tribal areas. Already this year, at the instigation of Washington, the Pakistani army has launched two military offensives into South Waziristan to track down foreign elements, with marginal success.
All signs now point to another offensive, but this time Islamabad and Washington have agreed that US troops stationed across the border in Afghanistan will take an active part in the action on Pakistani soil, rather than wait for suspects to be flushed out into their waiting arms. Similarly, Pakistani troops will be able to engage in hot-pursuit operations into Afghan territory.
In its single most important strike yet in the tribal areas, the Pakistani army in mid-June killed former Taliban commander Nek Mohammed, a key facilitator for al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the Afghan resistance in the tribal areas. The United States, however, played a vital role in this operation by tracking down Nek through his mobile-telephone calls, and there is even some suggestion that the US in fact launched the missiles that killed Nek and a few others in a house near Wana, the provincial capital of South Waziristan.
Given the complexities of fighting in the inhospitable tribal territories, where conventional forces face huge natural obstacles, the involvement of high-tech US forces is critical.
It is just such cooperation that is believed to have topped the agenda when General John Abizaid, head of the US Central Command, visited Pakistan recently, in addition to Pakistan sending troops to Iraq.
Shortly after Abizaid's departure, Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf announced that foreign terrorists had a base camp in South Waziristan, and that the military would "use power to smoke them out" in as many operations as were needed to achieve this goal.
With a little help from friends, of course.
According to contacts in Pakistan's strategic circles who spoke to Asia Times Online, over the past few months the US has been engaged in espionage operations, including the use of spy planes, in South and North Waziristan, Chitral, the Hindu Kush mountain chain, Zhob, and the mountainous belt between Kandahar in Afghanistan and Pakistani Balochistan. Tracking devices have also been installed in a number of places to monitor movements in the border areas.
US intelligence is concerned that in the previous Pakistani army incursions into South Waziristan, their targets were forewarned, and simply relocated to the mountains of Balochistan. Now a strategy has been worked out in which operations will cover the whole 2,240 kilometers of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Militant revival
After two operations and exhaustive scouting in South Waziristan, the region's network of underground bunkers and tunnels has been exposed. As a result, the estimated 600 foreign fighters who were holed up there have moved to other regions and provinces.
One of these areas, Jani Khail, is full of Taliban and al-Qaeda sympathizers, and Osama bin Laden is said to have spent some time there after fleeing from Afghanistan, along with hundreds of Arab families, in 2002.
The Eidak tribes in North Waziristan are also known for their commitment to jihad against foreigners. According to one estimate, 85% of Eidak youths are engaged either in Wana, Afghanistan or the Iraqi fronts. Jamia Eidak (Islamic school) is the catalyst for this movement. Recently, a few attacks have been made on Pakistani troops in the Eidak area, and several security personnel have been killed.
Darpakhail was the center of the Afghan resistance against the Soviets in the 1980s, and has retained its commitment for the cause of jihad against the United States. Siraj Haqqani, the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a former Taliban minister and commander who acts as a go-between for al-Qaeda and the Taliban on both sides of the border, regularly ferries fresh jihadis in a fleet of brand-new jeeps to Khost, Paktia and Paktika in Afghanistan.
After the arrest of Jalaluddin Haqqani's nephew, Ishaq Haqqani, by Pakistani authorities, Siraj Haqqani (see Through the eyes of the Taliban, May 5) now orchestrates all jihadi activities. The Manbaul Ulom seminary in North Waziristan, which the authorities had shut down, is once again a center of jihadi activities, and where top Taliban and al-Qaeda commanders meet.
Already, the Taliban have stepped up operations in Afghanistan, especially in the provinces of Urzgan, Kandahar, Khost, Zabul, Paktia and Paktika, and the scattered movement of the past has managed to re-establish a chain of command in the hands of Jalaluddin Haqqani.
Given these developments, it is only a matter of time before Pakistani and US forces swing into action.
(Additional reporting by Muqadar Iqbal in Rawalpindi.)
It seems clear we have taken a systematic approach and have tried to localize an area in which most of al Qeade and top al Qeade members are probably located in -
Here's wishing good hunting to our guys!
This battle started back in March south of Wana near Kalosha...and it is progressing west northwest off toward the border......we are watching the Pakistanis set the anvil.
We are close to seeing the fat lady make an appearance.
Get the popcorn ready...
I've noticed that Asia Times has a strong (though subtle at times) anti US slant. (Or is it pro-Al Qaeda?)
There is no support for this statement:
"All signs now point to another offensive, but this time Islamabad and Washington have agreed that US troops stationed across the border in Afghanistan will
take an active part in the action on Pakistani soil, rather than wait for suspects to be flushed out into their waiting arms."
...in the article.
Could be truth, but it could just as easily be spin designed to enflame the tribesmen and general population of Pakistan.
Heard that on FOX.
Any 'friend' of Omar's is an enemy of ours.
"...we are watching the Pakistanis set the anvil."
Now there's an interesting thought. All along, the Pak's have been described as the hammer, since the Americans "can't" cross the border.
Naaaahhhh.
But still, could it be that all along the plan was....?
No, no way.
Still, given the terrain....
Nope, I categorically rule out the possibility. The Pak population would string Musharraf to the nearest telephone pole.
Unless it were over real real quick. And Mushie does have the media locked out.
Sigh....no it simply couldn't happen.
Not in a zillion years.
;-)
Either we wait for the AQ supply to run low and let the Pak Army flush them into our arms or that we, together with the Pak Army, takes them out now. My guess is that the author thinks that the first option is better as it is less costly for Mushie.
:-)
It's middle of July now.....so what another month and a half...
This will be over by the end of August.
Agree with you here, 100% - If his location becomes known or even thought to be known - Our guys will be the ones going in -
First of November is generally considered the end of the fighting season, however, we were mixing it up at Tora Bora most the way up through December.
The passes will close to snow and avalanche danger somewhere between late November and early january, but you start having problems with cold, visibility, and CAS well before that.
Syed Shahzad has been putting out some really good stuff on the machinations in the area.
This article nicely details how the safe havens and sanctuaries got set up in 2002 and 2003.
BTT=>BTW
http://thepakistaninewspaper.com/news_detail.php?id=1038
Military colony comes under attack in Wana
WANA, July 20: Some unidentified terrorists attacked a military colony in Zerri Noor area situated in Wana South Waziristan Agency late on Monday night.
On retaliation from Pakistan paramilitary forces the unidentified miscreants fled the scene after an hour-long confrontation. No life loss has been reported in the incident.
In the meanwhile, the ongoing clash between armed forces and wanted men in Kham Rang and Danday area of Shakai continues, where military used Cobra Gun ship helicopters and Fighter Jets and bombarded the entire area, the shelling is reported to continue.
A local tribal elder Amir Mohammad told Online that this was severe shelling. Paramilitary forces also hurled artillery shells in the area from Wana Scout Camp, he added.
On the other hand ongoing Tribal Jirga convened by Political agent Asmatullah Gandapur ended without making further inroads, as PA and tribals failed to reach the resolve on the issue of wanted men.
PA demanded of local elder to demolish the houses of two close aides of Nek Mohammad, Maulvi Abbas and Javed or hand them over to administration. The government also made an alternate proposal that relatives of both wanted men be handed over to government in case tribals can't decide on previous two suggestions. Tribals refused to take any suggestion.
They were of the view that they will not launch Lashkar Kashi against wanted men until government lifts economic embargoes and open land routes linking SWA with other cities.
Malik Baz Khan a tribal elder offered to hand over hundred men in place of one provided government lifts economic sanctions.
He accused government for deceiving the promise given to Senator Faridullah Khan saying that he (Senator Faridullah) handed over wanted men to government but despite this act shelling in Shakai is continuing.
According to well-learned sources the said scribe has come to know that Malik Baz Khan's brother "Gud" was arrested by Political Administration and he is in jail.
As per details he along with a group of tribals went to meet political agent but instead of negotiations they were arrested.
The situation in the area is deteriorating day by day as people are migrating from the area along with facing other problems.-Online
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