Change of command: Maulvi Halim replaces Gul Bahadur as Waziristan Taliban chief

[Devil Soul]

Change of command: Maulvi Halim replaces Gul Bahadur as Waziristan Taliban chief
By Zulfiqar Ali
Published: August 15, 2014

PESHAWAR:
Maulvi Halim Khan has replaced powerful militant commander Hafiz Gul Bahadar as the chief of Shura Mujahideen North Waziristan, where the military has been conducting a massive operation, The Express Tribune has learnt from reliable sources.

According to the sources, the decision, taken in a meeting of the group’s Shura, has been supported by both the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban, though none of them has issued a formal statement to declare support for Maulvi Halim Khan.

Hafiz Gul Bahadar had signed a peace agreement with the government on September 2006. However, he pulled out of the deal on May 26, 2014, asking tribesmen in North Waziristan Agency to vacate homes and shift to safer places. He had also requested the tribesmen not to seek shelter in the government’s camps for displaced persons and instead relocate to Afghanistan.

When Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in North Waziristan on June 15, Hafiz Gul Bahadar and his aides went underground. While his group has not been banned by the government, it has maintained a close alliance with the TTP.

Moreover, the group has close links with the Haqqani Network, a deadly faction of the Afghan Taliban blamed for several high-profile attacks on US-led foreign forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Maulvi Halim Khan belongs to Khushhali Torikhel, a village on the outskirts of Mirali Town of North Waziristan. And his ascension has been billed as a positive development as he enjoyed cordial relations with government functionaries before the military offensive was launched.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2014.

 

[CENTCOM]

The fact remains that terrorism has been rejected by the masses in strongest of terms and the overwhelming support of the military operation against the terrorists is an open proof of that. Changing leadership is of no consequence unless change in attitude is adopted. Time is ripe for them to renounce the ideology of violence and join the mainstream to bring about the desired peace in the region. People of the region have suffered enough; they do not need a new Taliban leader but a new resolve for peace and prosperity. We stand united with the people of the region in their quest for peace.


Abdul Quddus
DET – U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu

 

[Kompromat]

@CENTCOM

What is the reason behind the US forces not killing them on the other end of the border?

If you cant get up and take action, when these rabbit holes are mature and deadly in a few years, don't blame us!!

@Peter C

This is time for YOU to show your commitment.

 

[Secur]

Escape to Afghanistan like the rest of brethren or get killed soon.

 

[Dubious]

Seriously his name is Maulvi Haleem?

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

@CENTCOM

What is the reason behind the US forces not killing them on the other end of the border?

If you cant get up and take action, when these rabbit holes are mature and deadly in a few years, don't blame us!!

@Peter C

This is time for YOU to show your commitment.

Aren't you a little late to ask us for troop commitment?
We were at 5 times the current strength 3 years ago.


US troop strength Afghanistan

 

[Kompromat]

@Peter C

Your troops are sipping latte' and smoking Benson & Hedges since 2011 in their camps, while we are doing the cleaning from this side.

We don't need you to commit more troops, we want you to bring in Apaches, SOF and AC-130s to clean the other end.

If you don't, this will be the 2nd largest blunder in this war. This is the time to cooperate and END these wetbags. You can't expect us to either do it on our own or take directly on Quetta Shura opening a fifth front in our country with a defense budget less than Pentagon's annual coffee bill!

I don't know if Obama is not keen, ill advised or simply stupid on this matter. Pakistan has broken the spine of TTP, if we cooperate, we can end the rest or atleast weaken them to bring them to a settlement that favours us!

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

@Peter C

Your troops are sipping latte' and smoking Benson & Hedges since 2011 in their camps, while we are doing the cleaning from this side.

It's already over. We are already pretty much gone.

Why would Pakistan invade North Waziristan? – The Express Tribune

"Pakistan has been talking about mounting an offensive in North Waziristan for a long time. But if it goes ahead with one now, it will be due mostly to US pressure. Washington has long pressed Pakistan to go after militant groups such as the Haqqani network in North Waziristan who cross the border to attack US troops in Afghanistan.
The military has been reluctant to go after those militants, who it sees as strategic assets to ensure influence in Afghanistan and keep India at bay."

June 2012
Pak Army to Launch Offensive in North Waziristan

You waited and waited and waited and waited until we threw up our hands and started pulling out.

 

[Kompromat]

@Peter C

Weak PPP lead govt at the center did that. The fact is that the 'problem' is still there and its going to get worse!

Americans who think that Pakistan benefits from Mullah Omar leading Afghanistan, they are out of their brains. Yes our op started late but we have done it like a battle raised pro Army should. All of N.Waziristan except a few districts are now under our control, compare that to 2009 when we had two operations and half million flood refugees to deal with.

We are not a superpower nor we have the resources you have so we play tactics to buy time and strike when we can afford to. Our cobras are falling out of sky, our helis have limited air lift capability and most of our tactical air lift is night blind!

We have destroyed TTP from our soil, now we want you to do the needed and attack them in Kunar and Nooristan, otherwise we will be back to 1996 in 2016.

 

[tarrar]

What criteria do these rented bastard khawarijs follow to become maulvis & replacing one jabroni with another jabroni?

 

[babajees]

@Peter C

Weak PPP lead govt at the center did that. The fact is that the 'problem' is still there and its going to get worse!

Americans who think that Pakistan benefits from Mullah Omar leading Afghanistan, they are out of their brains. Yes our op started late but we have done it like a battle raised pro Army should. All of N.Waziristan except a few districts are now under our control, compare that to 2009 when we had two operations and half million flood refugees to deal with.

We are not a superpower nor we have the resources you have so we play tactics to buy time and strike when we can afford to. Our cobras are falling out of sky, our helis have limited air lift capability and most of our tactical air lift is night blind!

We have destroyed TTP from our soil, now we want you to do the needed and attack them in Kunar and Nooristan, otherwise we will be back to 1996 in 2016.

You forget that all the top TTP brass has been killed by USA? You also ignore news that there are DAILY drones in Kunar and Nooristan?

And dont worry, Talibs will be back. Its a "fact". How much do you think US can spread? Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now African nations (Nigera, Mali etc), Syria too.. and it also has to support Israel who is out of ammunition..

Maybe I am toooo optimistic, but I believe in "death by a thousand cuts"

What criteria do these rented bastard khawarijs follow to become maulvis & replacing one jabroni with another jabroni?

Same criteria Mujahid Islamic Pakistan Army follow for "Jihad".. ? lols

 

[Secur]

And dont worry, Talibs will be back.

Still dont see the Pakistani cities being burned to the ground as claimed earlier before the start of the operation, do you? Ironic, that on the other hand, there haven't been any major attacks since we started Zarb-e-Azb. If they will be back, we will deal with them again, this isn't the Iraqi or Syrian army, by any chance, for you to get your hopes high.

 

[babajees]

Still dont see the Pakistani cities being burned to the ground as claimed earlier before the start of the operation, do you? Ironic, that on the other hand, there haven't been any major attacks since we started Zarb-e-Azb. If they will be back, we will deal with them again, this isn't the Iraqi or Syrian army, by any chance, for you to get your hopes high.

I was actually talking about Afghan Taliban.. they'll be back after US leaves. Oh and yes, after they establish their 'Islamic Emirates" then Pak Army may have tough time as well

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Still dont see the Pakistani cities being burned to the ground as claimed earlier before the start of the operation, do you? Ironic, that on the other hand, there haven't been any major attacks since we started Zarb-e-Azb. If they will be back, we will deal with them again, this isn't the Iraqi or Syrian army, by any chance, for you to get your hopes high.

my dear sir
please rethink and rephrase, why invite catastrophe and why not instead thank God and pray that the armed forces and agencies keep the terrorists on the run?

bragging has brought us nothing but shame and tears time and again. still today the terrorists enjoy support in cross section of the society. their front end organisations openly march in our face , till today we havent even punished a single terrorist instead people like Malik Ishaq and Molana Abdul Aziz are according VIP protocol.

@Peter C

We have destroyed TTP from our soil, now we want you to do the needed and attack them in Kunar and Nooristan, otherwise we will be back to 1996 in 2016.

Amen to that brother.

 

[Kaniska]

To be honest, I feel that Pakistan GOV is seriously trying now elminate terrorism...But your problem is that you have a vast geography and on top of that the people on that region are religious people...So you can not simply win that area with Army.....You need to engage with them and bring some kind of development to those areas to move away people from Taliban support...