Sine Nomine
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2014
- Messages
- 10,067
- Reaction score
- 25
- Country
- Location
By Abdul Ghani Kakar
QUETTA -- After mounting military operations against militancy in restive Balochistan, security forces have foiled the Pakistani Taliban's attempt to re-emerge in the province, officials said.
"It was a big setback for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants because we eliminated their roots in Balochistan," Muhammad Imran, a senior security official, told Central Asia Online. "We [recently] the TTP in the border districts of Balochistan, where they were preaching their agenda disguised as clerics."
Following the counter-insurgency Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, which began in June 2014, national security agencies monitored the developing situation, he said.
After being routed in North Waziristan, militants "fled from North Waziristan, Mohmand Agency, [other agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas], and some other areas and were planning their re-emergence in Balochistan", an official report said, adding the militants had "disguised themselves as locals and as Afghan refugees".
Banned militant groups involved in anti-peace activities in Balochistan were supporting the TTP, Imran said.
"During the past few months, they [the TTP] carried out several attacks on their targets in Zhob, Loralai, Pashin, Quetta and some other areas, causing heavy damages to lives and property," he said. "The TTP faction Jamatul Ahrar claimed responsibility."
Security forces destroy TTP hide-outs, kill commanders
Intelligence-led special operations against TTP militants starting in late June took place in Zhob, Loralai, Quetta, Kuchlak, Harnai, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah and other parts of Balochistan, Akbar Hussain Durrani, the Balochistan home secretary, told Central Asia Online.
"Police, the Levies Force, Frontier Corps, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) and security personnel of other agencies jointly took part in operations," he said. "Since June 30, 25 suspected militants including key TTP commanders have been killed and 145 others were arrested."
With the support of army gunships, security forces destroyed more than 18 terrorist hide-outs, Durrani said.
"We will never allow our soil to be a safe haven for militants; it is the government's resolve to eliminate militancy at the grass roots," he said. "Our forces are dealing with militants with an iron fist, and the on-going operations in the rest of the country are providing many positive results."
Security forces also broke up the chain of support for the TTP in Balochistan. They destroyed Jaish-ul-Islam, a TTP-linked militant group involved in sectarian terrorism in Balochistan.
"In a July 9 targeted operation ... in Quetta, security forces killed Jaish-ul-Islam chief Mehmood Rind and three other key suspects," Khan Wasay, a Frontier Corps Balochistan official, told Central Asia Online.
"Jaish-ul-Islam and some other groups were involved in a recent wave of terrorism," he said. "These militants were ... targeting innocent people in the rest of the province. Four TTP commanders of the Sajna group were detained in the Nawa Killi area of Quetta."
Identifying alleged links with militants in security forces
In accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP), surveillance is under way against security personnel suspected of ties to militants. The NAP, a national counter-terrorism strategy, took effect last December after terrorists massacred more than 140 children and teachers at the Army Public School in Peshawar.
"In restive Mastung District ... six Levies Force personnel were terminated for proven ties to militants July 7," Mohammad Asim, a senior Counter-Terrorism Department official of Balochistan, told Central Asia Online. "The terminated personnel allegedly provided safe passage to militants who killed 23 bus passengers in the Kadh Kocha area [May 29]."
The fired personnel included a risaldar (junior commissioned officer).
The police recently fired four officers serving in the Quetta Civil Lines for misconduct, Asim added.
"The Taliban have vowed more assaults," Asim said. "We are committed to our task and will be taking all possible steps to ensure peace in Balochistan."
Public safety 'will be ensured at all costs', officials say
"We have developed a comprehensive security plan for possible reprisals from terrorists," Wasay said. "Public safety and the security of all important installations will be ensured at all costs."
"The public ... can greatly assist the peace process by extending their support to law enforcement personnel," Asim said.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Raheel Sharif July 10 visited Quetta and held a briefing on overall security and on the law-and-order situation in Balochistan at the headquarters of the army's Southern Command.
"The COAS directed the law enforcement agencies to take all possible steps for curbing militancy in Balochistan," according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued in Quetta. "He expressed his satisfaction that security forces are ... eliminating terrorism from Balochistan and bringing peace and prosperity."
The COAS welcomed militants who have abandoned violence and are laying down arms in Balochistan, ISPR said.
"It is very encouraging that insurgents are gradually coming back into the national mainstream," Sharif said, adding that the government will give them all possible support in resuming a peaceful life, according to ISPR.
@Horus @syedali73 @Irfan Baloch @Zarvan @Imran Khan
QUETTA -- After mounting military operations against militancy in restive Balochistan, security forces have foiled the Pakistani Taliban's attempt to re-emerge in the province, officials said.
"It was a big setback for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants because we eliminated their roots in Balochistan," Muhammad Imran, a senior security official, told Central Asia Online. "We [recently] the TTP in the border districts of Balochistan, where they were preaching their agenda disguised as clerics."
Following the counter-insurgency Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, which began in June 2014, national security agencies monitored the developing situation, he said.
After being routed in North Waziristan, militants "fled from North Waziristan, Mohmand Agency, [other agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas], and some other areas and were planning their re-emergence in Balochistan", an official report said, adding the militants had "disguised themselves as locals and as Afghan refugees".
Banned militant groups involved in anti-peace activities in Balochistan were supporting the TTP, Imran said.
"During the past few months, they [the TTP] carried out several attacks on their targets in Zhob, Loralai, Pashin, Quetta and some other areas, causing heavy damages to lives and property," he said. "The TTP faction Jamatul Ahrar claimed responsibility."
Security forces destroy TTP hide-outs, kill commanders
Intelligence-led special operations against TTP militants starting in late June took place in Zhob, Loralai, Quetta, Kuchlak, Harnai, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah and other parts of Balochistan, Akbar Hussain Durrani, the Balochistan home secretary, told Central Asia Online.
"Police, the Levies Force, Frontier Corps, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) and security personnel of other agencies jointly took part in operations," he said. "Since June 30, 25 suspected militants including key TTP commanders have been killed and 145 others were arrested."
With the support of army gunships, security forces destroyed more than 18 terrorist hide-outs, Durrani said.
"We will never allow our soil to be a safe haven for militants; it is the government's resolve to eliminate militancy at the grass roots," he said. "Our forces are dealing with militants with an iron fist, and the on-going operations in the rest of the country are providing many positive results."
Security forces also broke up the chain of support for the TTP in Balochistan. They destroyed Jaish-ul-Islam, a TTP-linked militant group involved in sectarian terrorism in Balochistan.
"In a July 9 targeted operation ... in Quetta, security forces killed Jaish-ul-Islam chief Mehmood Rind and three other key suspects," Khan Wasay, a Frontier Corps Balochistan official, told Central Asia Online.
"Jaish-ul-Islam and some other groups were involved in a recent wave of terrorism," he said. "These militants were ... targeting innocent people in the rest of the province. Four TTP commanders of the Sajna group were detained in the Nawa Killi area of Quetta."
Identifying alleged links with militants in security forces
In accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP), surveillance is under way against security personnel suspected of ties to militants. The NAP, a national counter-terrorism strategy, took effect last December after terrorists massacred more than 140 children and teachers at the Army Public School in Peshawar.
"In restive Mastung District ... six Levies Force personnel were terminated for proven ties to militants July 7," Mohammad Asim, a senior Counter-Terrorism Department official of Balochistan, told Central Asia Online. "The terminated personnel allegedly provided safe passage to militants who killed 23 bus passengers in the Kadh Kocha area [May 29]."
The fired personnel included a risaldar (junior commissioned officer).
The police recently fired four officers serving in the Quetta Civil Lines for misconduct, Asim added.
"The Taliban have vowed more assaults," Asim said. "We are committed to our task and will be taking all possible steps to ensure peace in Balochistan."
Public safety 'will be ensured at all costs', officials say
"We have developed a comprehensive security plan for possible reprisals from terrorists," Wasay said. "Public safety and the security of all important installations will be ensured at all costs."
"The public ... can greatly assist the peace process by extending their support to law enforcement personnel," Asim said.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Raheel Sharif July 10 visited Quetta and held a briefing on overall security and on the law-and-order situation in Balochistan at the headquarters of the army's Southern Command.
"The COAS directed the law enforcement agencies to take all possible steps for curbing militancy in Balochistan," according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued in Quetta. "He expressed his satisfaction that security forces are ... eliminating terrorism from Balochistan and bringing peace and prosperity."
The COAS welcomed militants who have abandoned violence and are laying down arms in Balochistan, ISPR said.
"It is very encouraging that insurgents are gradually coming back into the national mainstream," Sharif said, adding that the government will give them all possible support in resuming a peaceful life, according to ISPR.
@Horus @syedali73 @Irfan Baloch @Zarvan @Imran Khan
