ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s military continued its advance into North Waziristan on Monday as Taliban leaders warned that the offensive will result in deadly retaliation in major population centers.
On the second day of the Pakistani military’s operation to dislodge the Islamist extremists from within its borders, an army spokesman said 27 militants were killed in airstrikes in North Waziristan. The bombardment follows repeated airstrikes on Sunday, which Pakistani officials say killed more than 140 suspected terrorists, including Abu Abdur Rehman al-Maani, the alleged mastermind of the June 8 attack on Karachi’s international airport.
The airstrikes are part of what Pakistani officials say is a coordinated campaign to isolate and kill Pakistani Taliban and other militants in North Waziristan who refuse to lay down their arms and surrender. Tens of thousands of ground troops are also moving into the area, and Pakistani military snipers have taken up positions near the towns of Mirali and Miranshah, officials said. Military officials said those snipers have killed ten suspected terrorists so far. Six Pakistani soldiers were also killed Monday.
It’s difficult for foreign journalists to independently evaluate Pakistani military claims because they are barred from traveling to North Waziristan.
“The reinforcement of forces and deployment of troops at different points are going to cut off all major entry and exit points of North Waziristan,” said one security official, who asked not to be identified so they could speak freely about the operation. “We will isolate the militants and stop any outside support and also surround their bases.”
The operation has put much of the country on a war-footing amid widespread concern about retaliatory strikes from the Taliban.
Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman of Pakistani Taliban, said in a statement that the group will be targeting foreigners and foreign companies that do business inside the country.
“We can target any government installations and foreign investment companies, so we ask you, the investors to suspend your activities here, otherwise you will be responsible for your losses,” Shahid said.
Shahid said the group will soon carry out attacks in the capital of Islamabad and Lahore, the country’s second largest city behind Karachi. Lahore is the provincial capital of Punjab, which has historically been a chief base of support for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In response to the threat, the Pakistan Army announced Monday it was dispatching troops to major cities to be on stand-by in case they are needed to bolster security.
Some of those troops appear to have already taken to the streets in Karachi, where televisions news channels were airing footage of soldiers moving from nearby bases toward different areas of the sprawling port city.
Months in the making
The Pakistani military has been threatening for months to unleash a large-scale military operation against the militants, who have launched increasingly bloody attacks. But the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif apparently held off from approving such an operation as he tried to engage the Taliban in peace talks.
That effort appeared to crumble in recent days as the Taliban attacked Karachi’s international airport, killing 26 people.
The Pakistani military’s chief spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, said in a statement Sunday that the armed forces had launched a “comprehensive operation against foreign and local terrorists” in North Waziristan.
“Our valiant armed forces have been tasked to eliminate these terrorists regardless of hue and color, along with their sanctuaries,” he said.
The Pakistani Taliban — also known by the initials TTP, for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan — is allied with but separate from the Afghan Taliban that is fighting U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Elements of both, along with the Afghan Haqqani network and remnants of al-Qaeda’s core leadership, are located in North Waziristan.
“The government was left with no other option but to go after the base of the terrorists,” said Muhammed Saad, a retired Pakistani military officer. “North Waziristan has become the center of gravity for terrorists, and almost every attack was found to have a link to the area.”
But the decision to undertake a comprehensive military operation, which appears to be Pakistan’s largest domestic security sweep since a 2009 military campaign dislodged Taliban fighters from the country’s western Swat Valley, is not without risk.
For months, Sharif and security officials have warned that a military campaign probably would lead to retaliatory strikes against major Pakistani cities, including the capital, Islamabad. There is also the risk that civilian casualties could undercut public support for the military campaign.
In a statement, the Pakistani military said “announcements would be made” regarding whom to evacuate to Miralia and Miranshah, two major towns in North Waziristan at the center of the military operation. Officials were preparing to house the evacuees in refugee camps. Noor Rehman, a tribal council member, said about 47,000 people have fled.
“We want to resolve the issue through peace, but last week’s unfortunate attack on the airport and now the airstrikes by security forces created hurdles,” he said.
Military officials have established “surrender points” where militants can lay down their arms peacefully.
Pakistan has asked the Afghan National Army to seal its side of the border to try to keep militants from escaping into Afghan territory. But it was not clear Sunday evening whether the army had agreed to the request.
Hassan Askari Rizvi, a Pakistani security analyst, said he thinks the military operation will be relatively brief and aimed exclusively at the Pakistani Taliban and foreign fighters.
“Once the army is done with TTP and its affiliates and consolidates its position, it will decide what to do about the rest of North Waziristan and other groups,” Rizvi said.
Khan reported from Peshawar.
Tim Craig in Islamabad contributed
to this report.
Pakistani military advances against Taliban positions; militants warn of retaliation - The Washington Post
BY NAZAR UL ISLAM
He said even SSG is no match for TTP.
