Starting a new operation in Waziristan?

[waraich66]

The announcement of a Waziristan Op was mentioned in the media 12 May.
You don't make such announcements unless you have it all planned out.

Yes this will be a long war and longer with reconstruction and administration matters.
NO you don't need UN or NATO help to do the fighting. That would be a HUGE mistake.
You do need international aid to help with rebuilding and make things better. But that has to be planned now.
Also you do not want foreigners on your soil to do this rebuilding. Bad Juju.

PA could not control insurgency alone because they may manouver between boarders , it should be collective effort but now these talaban have more then thirty years of gurilla war experience.PA dont have that much experience and also NATO and ISAF.

It is better bring good talaban on table and make strategic peace deal and then PA and US construct fence along boarder and position them self .

If WAR continue at both side of boarder the supply line of NATO in Afghanistan will be vanished and winter season is also close.

 

[Ratus Ratus]

It is better bring good talaban on table and make strategic peace deal and then PA and US construct fence along boarder and position them self .

Ok I am a wee bit negative with this.
In Nam there were VC and so called Turned VC = good Taliban. Turned VC were never fully turned and could turn again with little ease if they had really turned in the first place. It was all down to the big $.
Trust no one, live longer

 

[waraich66]

It is better bring good talaban on table and make strategic peace deal and then PA and US construct fence along boarder and position them self .

Ok I am a wee bit negative with this.
In Nam there were VC and so called Turned VC = good Taliban. Turned VC were never fully turned and could turn again with little ease if they had really turned in the first place. It was all down to the big $.
Trust no one, live longer

Then there is no end of this WAR

 

[Ratus Ratus]

Then there is no end of this WAR

Wrong.
It is a simple case of use the "good Taliban" for your immediate needs.
Do not expect them to stay on your side all the time. You may end up fighting against them at a later time.
Your enemy today is your friend tomorrow, your enemy later on.

This conflict is about the people not necessarily the Taliban as such.

 

[ajpirzada]

Waziristan militants start mining region: report
Thursday, 28 May, 2009 | 03:02 PM PST |
ISLAMABAD: A latest advisory issued by the Interior ministry to the country’s security agencies reveals that the Taliban and other militants operating in Waziristan have started planting landmines in the area, a BBC report said.

Given the ongoing military operation in Swat, militants, after consulting with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud, have begun mining the area, the advisory says.

Mehsud has ordered Asmatullah Muawiya and Qari Zafar to plant landmines across the South Waziristan tribal region, whereas, different militant groups active in North Waziristan have taken the task on.

Meanwhile, a source in the interior ministry said top police officials in all four provinces had been alerted regarding a possible terrorist plot in the Punjab province. They had also been advised to beef up security in their respective areas, the source told BBC.

The government advisory said militants were planning suicide attacks in different areas of the Punjab province in reaction to the ongoing anti-Taliban operation in Swat and other districts. The fundamental targets in these attacks are likely to be the armed forces and law enforcement institutions.

DAWN.COM | Provinces | Waziristan militants start mining region: report

 

[ajpirzada]

Ten militants killed as troops move ahead in Waziristan
By Our Correspondent
Thursday, 28 May, 2009 | 04:42 AM PST |
TANK: Ten militants were killed as troops moved ahead in South Waziristan on Wednesday.

Security forces claimed to have destroyed several bunkers and seized two vehicles loaded with heavy weapons.

According to local people, helicopters hit several targets in the Mehsud area after a rocket attack on a paramilitary fort by militants.

Sources said the militants, who were killed, were in two vehicles and were returning to their hideouts when helicopters hit them.

Reports reaching here said that a large number of roads between Makeen and Razmak in North Waziristan had been blocked by the military.

Also on Wednesday, a 15-member jirga of the Mehsud tribe discontinued talks with Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah in protest against arrest of six teachers of a seminary in Tank.

Law-enforcement personnel raided a seminary on the Tank-Jandola Road after a vehicle of a security agency was hit by a remote-controlled bomb.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Ten militants killed as troops move ahead in Waziristan

 

[ironman]

Military operation in Waziristan inevitable​

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: A military operation in North and South Waziristan is inevitable, as both tribal agencies are the “centre of gravity” for the Taliban, political and defence analyst Ejaz Haider said on Saturday.

Speaking on ‘Najam Sethi Special’ on Dunya News channel, he said the military operation would likely begin soon, as it was essential to imbalance the Taliban’s power. He said the Malakand operation had been launched to cut the Taliban’s supply line, adding the military was currently consolidating its position in Swat and Malakand. He said Operation Rah-e-Raast would not be considered complete until the top Taliban leadership had been arrested or killed.

Haider said the military would stay in Swat for at least another year. He stressed the need for a “cooperative mechanism” between NATO forces in Afghanistan and Pakistani security forces to effectively deal with the Taliban on both sides of the Durand Line.

 

[SecularHumanist]

Then there is no end of this WAR

There were a lot of people that said the same thing when the Swat operation began. Everyone was saying the military can't kick them out of Mingora, well look what happened.

Its better to try and lose then not try at all. Besides, look how doing nothing has worked out for us. Its better to die trying to defeat these terrorists than living a life which is like death anyways.

 

[Neo]

Impending battle of Waziristan​

Wednesday June 10, 2009

The swift and focused operations on multiple fronts and from four directions in Malakand Division helped in forcing militants to come out in open and wage pitched battles. Mass attacks were covered by suicide attackers riding explosive laden vehicles. At one place, when main gun of the tank targeted a vehicle in Swat, cluster of 21 suicide bombers along with their vehicles and motorcycles was destroyed because of sympathetic detonation. Open resistance by militants suited the army since it negated guerilla tactics. Large numbers of militants were gunned down in ensuing clashes thereby forcing them to abandon mass attacks and to attack in smaller groups from all directions against one military target. When this strategy too failed in slowing down the advance of determined army sub-units led by courageous young officers, and their senior leadership based in Peuchar fled the scene, it caused panic and they decided to flee.

Lower Dir, Buner, Swat and Shangla districts have been retaken by the military within a span of one month. Command structure, logistic dumps, arms and ammunition stocks and training areas have all been dismantled and second and third tier leadership as well as large number of militants killed. Notwithstanding continuation of small-scale terrorist acts in these areas, by and large the backbone of militancy has to an extent been broken. The army is now helping in restoration of services of gas, electricity and water as well as in supplying relief goods to the affected.

Gen Kayani has aptly remarked that the tide has turned in Swat. Visit by army and air chief to battle zone on 8 June was a morale booster. Now that the military is reorganizing and consolidating its gains, it has entered into critical phase of retaining captured territory. It will have to establish check posts, outposts, carryout mobile patrolling, maintain troops deployed all over Malakand Division from brigade/battalion administrative areas entailing movement of vehicles, thereby presenting softer targets. The militants have been dispersed but not eliminated completely. Guessing from their past tactics, after a breather, they would again regroup and resort to their favorite tactics of hit and run, hitting vulnerable spots.

The runaway leadership and militants from Malakand Division must not be given any respite. They have the option to either hide within the areas where they have been beaten, or move to adjoining districts, or any of the tribal agencies, or major cities, or Afghanistan. The latter course should be pre-empted by pressing US military to play its role. Fazlullah has been targeted five times but somehow he has escaped. In the last attack on Kabal he got injured. The noose has however been tightened around him. Unless senior leadership of Taliban in Swat, Bajaur and in Waziristan is got hold of, ideological movement would not die down. It may peter out temporarily but would resurface with greater vengeance once the military returns to barracks. As long as top leadership of Swat Taliban remains at large, one cannot say with firmness that back of militancy has been decisively busted. Baitullah, Fazlullah and some other prominent leaders have been provided Israeli made chip technology which forewarns them of impending danger enabling them to escape each time the noose is tightened around them. Our agencies will have to counter chip technology or spread their intelligence network all over to net the wanted 21 militant leaders on whom head money has been announced.

There is talk of impending operation in Waziristan. President Zardari has already let the cat out of the bag thereby denuding the army of the advantage of element of surprise. On one hand he has forewarned Baitullah led forces to hone their weapons and prepare a bloody reception; on the other he has created feelings of insecurity and unease among the non-militants of that region and many have already started to migrate to safer areas.

Till such time Malakand Division is fully cleared and writ of civil administration re-established, the second front should as far as possible not be opened in Waziristan. Reaction of militants in Bajaur is yet to be seen. In all probability, they would like to open additional fronts like Upper Dir to cause dilution of effort on the army. Most of the runaways from Malakand regions must have escaped to adjoining districts and Bajaur where the militants still have a toehold in Mamond District. Some new areas like, Kohistan, Battagram, Malakand Agency could be heated up. Restive Mohmand Agency and Khyber Agency are other possibilities that could get activated.

Working on the age-old principle that contact with enemy must never be lost, Waziristan should be kept under constant surveillance. It should be kept engaged by keeping it under continuous observation and some small-scale actions. This policy was not followed in Swat each time the army was made to withdraw prematurely without completing operation in totality.

The battle plan for Waziristan should include isolation of militants and making them immobile by targeting their vehicles, blocking escape routes of militants to Afghanistan or neighboring areas within Fata, division through creation of armed lashkars and village defence force and encirclement. Khost has become main supply centre for meeting needs of Baitullah. Booth RAW and RAAM are supervising reinforcements of men and material. This route needs to be sealed. Each army unit should have quick reaction force with desired mobility and firepower to reach out to the area where help is needed by the locals or civil law enforcing agencies. The base of terrorists where suicide bombers are recruited and trained must be located and destroyed. Qari Hussain in South Waziristan supposed to be a specialist in motivating and churning out suicide bombers, should be targeted. Communication system of militants should be jammed through C4I electronic means. Maulvi Nazir in South and Haji Gul Bahadar in North Waziristan who are averse to fighting Pak army and believe in waging Jihad in Afghanistan against occupation forces should be taken on board. Importance of effective media campaign to counter negative propaganda of militants needs no emphasis. Choking effect on single main supply route because of movement of IDPs should be accounted for by creating alternative routes.

All supply routes will have to be well protected since the militants are focusing a lot on this aspect to make supply lines unsafe. In April-May, over 130 convoys of police, paramilitary forces and army have come under attacks in different parts of NWFP. Somehow, militants gain prior information before or during the movement starts. In each case, militants have been following proper ambush drills by first halting the convoy by destroying front vehicle through IED and then cutting off the tail. Thereon, the militants in hiding open up indiscriminate firing. They have sufficient ammunition for a sustained firefight even when reinforcement arrives. Leakage of information must be plugged and anti-ambush drills as well as dispatch of quick deployment force at the site of occurrence well-rehearsed. Administrative tail will have to be drastically cut to avoid unnecessary movement of vehicles.

During search and destroy operations, efforts should be made that no innocent person gets killed or property destroyed. Displaced persons should be well looked after and protected since relief camps become one of the hunting grounds for the militants to enroll recruits. Within the battle zone, peaceful citizens who opt to stay should be protected. Lashkars and village guards should be further strengthened and motivated. An effective, elaborate and well coordinated local intelligence network free of CIA and FBI should be put in place at grass root level. Displaced persons could become useful informers to disclose inner intelligence of the militants. Since Swat has been neutralized where suicide bombers were trained, such sites in South Waziristan must be traced and destroyed to prevent suicide bombers streaming into cities. Likewise IDPs in camps and outside should be screened and guarded from RAW agents.

 

[Neo]

Brilliant success in Malakand upset plans of adversaries​

Tuesday June 09, 2009

The gang of conspirators in Kabul is keeping its fingers crossed and watching unfolding of events in Pakistan with mixed feelings. On one hand they are happy that they succeeded in pushing Pak army into the hellhole in greater strength thereby weakening its military strength in critical eastern sector. They were optimistic that battles on three fronts of Lower Dir, Buner and Swat would be hard nuts to crack, given the state of ground preparations, war munitions and level of motivation of the militants under Fazlullah. They were expecting that once the army got bogged down probably in the valley of Swat where main battle was to be given, it would be impelled to further thin out its strategic reserves.

Activation of Upper Dir, Batkhela and Shangla was part of plan to effectively pin down corps plus size force in this region. Thereafter, Bajaur front and possibly Mohmand-Khyber Agencies were to be heated up with Baitullah in South Waziristan providing necessary back up support in addition to regular flow of reinforcement from Kunar and Paktia provinces in Afghanistan. Idea was to get another two division force consumed in Bajaur-Mohmand-Khyber regions.

In their plans, corps plus size force was required in two Waziristans, which would be rekindled at an opportune time, with Khost acting as main logistic base for regular supplies. Balochistan front was also to be triggered to keep 12 Corps committed. To generate maximum heat, Karachi, interior Sindh and northern areas were to be brewed up. Future plan of activating eastern front in coming winter hinged on consumption of 4-5 Corps in counter insurgency operations thereby giving India a definite edge to mount its decisive maneuver resting on Cold Start doctrine. US troops in Afghanistan were to step into FATA under the garb of hot pursuit operations to destroy Al-Qaeda bases.

The Swat militants had planned to give initial battles at Lower Dir and Buner which acted as their Advanced Guard positions and then fight main defensive battle in Swat in which the bloodiest battle was to be fought in twin towns of Mingora and Saidu Sharif. They had planned to fight street battles and house to house battles making civilians as human shields and making good use of Israeli made sniper rifles with range of one km, improvised mines, barricades, mines provided by RAW, American weapons. From last February onwards, they had carried out extensive preparations to convert major towns into fortresses, and vantage points on heights along the funnel shaped valley into strongholds. Last ditch battles were to be fought in depth area of Bahrain, Kalam, Charbagh as fall back positions.

While Indo-US-Israeli nexus had formulated its plan, the army was not sitting idle. It was closely monitoring the fast deteriorating security situation both along the eastern and western border as well as internal situation duly stoked by the masterminds. Notwithstanding repeated assertions by US military and civilian leaders that existential threat to Pakistan was posed by the militants and not by India and that it should shift all its forces from the east to the northwest to save Pakistan from going into the hands of extremist forces, the army under Gen Kayani kept its cool and did not get carried away by the motivated hype. Well-knowing that India was a treacherous enemy and its designs against Pakistan were unchanged, the army shifted some additional troops to beef up effort in Malakand Division but not at the cost of losing strategic balance. Extra force was pumped in to conduct simultaneous attacks against different targets and wind up operation speedily. FC was asked to keep Bajaur under tight watch and to handle Buner at its own which it did commendably well. Additional force for Waziristan was earmarked but not dispatched to conserve upon strategic assets of air and choppers..

Unexpected unfolding of developments took the militants and their patrons by complete surprise. The lightening speed and tenacity with which operation Rah-e-Rast was launched and stunning victories achieved in quick succession flabbergasted them. They could not imagine in their wildest imaginations that the military would hit out at multiple fronts, both against fortified major towns as well as strongholds on mountain peaks simultaneously. What upset their plans was the sudden and audacious night attack by commandoes led by SSG Commander Maj Gen Haroon preceded by aerial attack on their command HQ at Peuchar where top leadership of Swat Taliban including Fazlullah was housed. It was a daring and brilliant heli-borne commando raid on inaccessible and almost impassable stronghold, which not only disintegrated the command centre, but in all probability eliminated top leadership. Another wise move made was to seal off withdrawal and supply routes from outside. Collapse of command structure and communication system, destruction of munitions dumps and disruption of supply lines caused the rout. Although all the trouble spots have been taken over by the army, it will take another two months for re-establishment of writ of civil government and for displaced persons to return to their homes. Army is likely stay on in Swat for a year or so but is in a good position to pull out extra troops whenever it wants.

Whereas peace deal had gone against sinister plans of our adversaries, rapid successes made by the military have also not been to their liking. What they wanted was a no-win situation in which both sides should have bled. Change of tide in favor of the military has upset their time-programmed plan to make Pakistan lawless and ungovernable so as to provide an excuse to USA to seek military intervention from UNSC to take over nuclear weapons and safeguard world security. Mass exodus of the people from battle zone was also part of the plan to shift militancy from selected areas of Frontier Region to major cities of Punjab. They had never expected that 80% of 3 million displaced people would be happily accommodated by the people of NWFP and philanthropists and general public would come forward with undying generosity. Punjab government took the lead by providing free flour and other commodities to the affected. In order to put a spanner in the relief work generated from within, pro-India nationalist parties were pumped up to play up threat of Talibanisation and block the entry of IDPs. The suicide brigade and saboteurs have been keyed up to wreck havoc in the cities. Already some incidents have taken place in Lahore, Peshawar, DIK and Upper Dir. Kidnapping of students of Razmak College from Bannu district by Baitullah men was also link of the chain and meant to exert pressure to stop military operations which have constricted their space. Thanks to very prompt and gallant action by the military which helped in rescuing the students and averting a crisis situation.

While the militants are on the run and completely disorganized and their mentors are glum, critics of Pakistan have become mute; praises are coming forth guardedly and sparingly with ifs and buts. Loose talk of escape of militant leaders, collateral damage and plight of stranded people in some areas and of IDPs, militants within IDPs and threat to our nuclear weapons is already in the air, which is likely to gain currency. Our adversaries must be devising new ways to keep the pot of terror steaming. Liberal brigade of writers will help in promoting new themes of detractors to mar the good work done by the army. While the army has still to do lot of work in some other areas, the government should spring into action and launch socio-politico-economic program with speed and utmost sincerity to win the hearts and minds of the Pashtuns who are feeling neglected and left out. This is absolutely essential to further upset sinister designs of our adversaries.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

"Baitullah, Fazlullah and some other prominent leaders have been provided Israeli made chip technology which forewarns them of impending danger enabling them to escape each time the noose is tightened around them."

 

[Neo]

How did the chip get there?

 

[Cheetah786]

"Baitullah, Fazlullah and some other prominent leaders have been provided Israeli made chip technology which forewarns them of impending danger enabling them to escape each time the noose is tightened around them."

May i suggest a body cavity search

 

[ajpirzada]

let them have the chips. for now we need to isolate baitullah from his other fellow fighter lik Qari Zaiullah etc. it will be much better if we could get make them fight with us instead of them stayin neutral. but it wont be possible unless army manages to give a big blow to baitullah group.
gov should start gatherin support for this waziristan operation as we have seen that politcal support is must for any military victory. also we need to convince ppl of waziristan to stand with the army.
besides doin all this, we need a far more effective intelligence in waziristan than wat we had in malakand.
and i think it will take atleast one month to do all this given some of the ground work has already been done.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Military operation intensifies in Bannu, South Waziristan​

Thursday, 11 Jun, 2009 | 05:03 PM PST |

The military said it went on the offensive in Bannu after up to 800 militants infiltrated from Waziristan. —AP/File photo​

BANNU: The Pakistan army attacked an area bordering a militant stronghold near the Waziristan tribal region on Thursday, killing scores of Taliban fighters with helicopter gunships and artillery shelling, officials said.

Meanwhile, dozens of militants attacked three army posts in South Waziristan, triggering shootouts that left 20 insurgents and three soldiers dead early Thursday, intelligence officials told The Associated Press.

Army officials say Taliban fighters are attacking soldiers in South Waziristan to distract the military from its operation in Swat, where they say they have killed more than 1,300 militants since late April.

The coordinated attacks early Thursday targeted bases in Jandola, Chakmalai and Splitoi towns in South Waziristan, said two intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. The militants used rockets and guns, prompting troops to return fire, the officials said.

‘Late last night about 400 terrorists attacked Siplatoi and Jandola Fort...three soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom) and five were injured, while 22 terrorists were killed and a large number injured,’ the army said.

In Swat’s Taliban stronghold of Peochar, 10 suspected militants were killed in the past day, the army statement said, while operations also continued in Dir and Buner districts.

Also on Thursday, Lashkars (militia) continued an exchange of fire with Taliban in two Upper Dir villages, said the officials.

‘This is a war, but the people of this country will not bow to the cowardly acts of terrorists. People are now seeing the real face of those who have been exploiting them in the name of Islam,’ North West Frontier Province senior minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour Bilour told reporters on Wednesday.

Already in the final stages of an operation to clear militants from the Swat valley, the military said it went on the offensive in Bannu after up to 800 militants infiltrated from Waziristan.

There has been speculation that once that was over the focus would switch to Waziristan, long regarded as a hub of Taliban and al-Qaeda activity.

According to local military officials and a senior civilian official in Bannu well over 100 militants have been killed since the army swung into action on Wednesday.

‘The operation is going on very well. Helicopter gunships, artillery, everything is being used,’ Kamran Zeb, the top administrator in Bannu, told Reuters.

‘Yesterday, around 100 militants were killed in the operation,’ Zeb said, adding that there had been more killed on Thursday.

Security forces also used artillery and warplanes to obliterate a militant compound in the tribal region of Orakzai, killing at least five people, but probably more, according to the the region’s mayor.

‘It’s been heavy bombing and there must be many more casualties, both militants and civilians. We’re trying to collect the numbers,’ mayor Gul Khitab said.

A pro-Taliban cleric, Maulvi Jameel, said several militants’ positions and hideouts had been struck during the raid. He didn’t have information about casualties.

In South Waziristan, militants fired rockets at a paramilitary base in Jandola killing two soldiers. The military have bottled up the main forces of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in rugged mountains close to Jandola.

A soldier was killed in another attack by the militants in the same region, while Taliban officials said four of their fighters were killed in the fighting in South Waziristan.