COAS urges Mehsuds to stand up against militants
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
18 militants, two soldiers among 32 killed in operation Rah-e-Nijat, militants forcibly bringing tribesmen to battlefield
By Muhammad Anis, Irfan Burki & Daud Khattak
ISLAMABAD/WANA/PESHAWAR: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has expressed hope that Mehsud tribes would side with the Pakistan Army in the ongoing operation against terrorists in South Waziristan Agency.
The objective of the ongoing military operation in South Waziristan is not to target patriotic Mehsud tribes but to get them rid of terrorists and brutal elements, the Army chief said in his message to Mehsud tribes.
The message written in Urdu and Pashto was provided to the media at a briefing here on Monday. General Kayani called upon Mehsud tribesmen to join hands and stand up against cruel elements for ultimate action against them so that Pakistans flag hoist with same pomp and show. He admitted that all tribes, including Mehsuds, have been defending the country voluntarily and are loyal to their motherland.
The Army chief said the targets of operation are Uzbek terrorists and other foreign elements and local militants. Meanwhile, 18 militants, two soldiers and 12 civilians were killed as the Army troops continued with ground and air offensive in the troubled Waziristan region. The troops, making advance after consolidating positions in Kotkai and Shirwangai, reached the Kaskai area located west of Kotkai and north of Kund. Security forces also secured Tor Ghundai, located east of Kotkai and Shishwarm north-east of Kotkai, claimed the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Security forces faced stiff resistance in Shirwangai, where a number of militants were killed, claimed the ISPR statement, which added that the troops were fortifying positions in the south and south-west of Razmak. The Army officials also claimed destroying ammunition dumps of the militants.
Communication between militant leaders intercepted by security officials confirmed they had suffered losses in the previous three days. Bring all the village colleagues in a Datsun pick-up via the Bobar area to the battlefield and leave none of them behind, said one intercept as one militant leader was speaking on a walkie-talkie set to another in Waziristan. Asking for men and material (weapons), the speaker said: If the village people are not coming on their own free will, tie them to bring them here. They will die if they do not wage Jihad.
Another intercept, received by The News stated that huge quantity of arms and ammunition was seized by security forces. I heard that huge quantity of arms, worth thousands, owned by Mujahideen, has been seized by the hypocrites, said a caller introducing himself as Hanif. Youre right, large number of arms and ammunition of our colleagues have been seized by the hypocrites, but we are not going to discuss the same on walkie-talkie, said the second caller Manzoor.
Earlier, spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Azam Tariq confirmed killing of only one militant. Due to inaccessibility and closure of communication lines, the claims by the Taliban and the Army could not be confirmed from independent sources.
According to locals, security forces advanced from Spinkai Raghzai to Mandana and the Tarakai areas to get its control. Sources reported fierce fighting between militants and security forces around the Tarakai area, which has a history of bloody clashes between the British army and the tribesmen.
Clashes have also been reported from the Khaisoor Braga Sama area as security forces advanced from Shakai. No reports were received about the casualties on both sides. Security forces continued advance towards Makeen and Ladha from Razmak side after consolidating control over the Nawazkot area.
Reports about fierce fighting were received between the two sides in parts of Makeen. The sources said security forces were firing heavy artillery guns at Makeen, Ladha and Sam areas from the Razmak Army camp.
Meanwhile, 12 civilians were reportedly killed as a mortar shell hit their vehicle in the Hindi Jawar area of North Waziristan. Locals said the people were fleeing from South Waziristan. Majority of the ill-fated people were women and children.
One source said the vehicle was hit by a stray artillery shell as they crossed South Waziristan and entered Hindi Jawar area of North Waziristan. However, another source said the vehicle was hit by a bomb from an aircraft. There is no comment from the ISPR about the civilian casualties.
Thousands of people continued fleeing to North Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Bannu as the operation intensified on the third day. Unofficial figures suggested that nearly 200,000 people had so far reached the border cities and the neighbouring North Waziristan.
Meanwhile, briefing the media, along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, about the progress in the operation Rah-e-Nijat, Director General ISPR Athar Abbas said in last 24 hours, 18 terrorists have been killed, while two soldiers embraced Shahadat and 12 others were injured.
He said one soldier got injured due to rocket fired by militants from Makeen side. Arms and ammunition dumps in the caves between Ladha and Makeen have been destroyed by precision air targeting, he claimed.
The military spokesman said security forces have achieved targets before the given time, securing Tor Ghundai, Shishwarm and Shirwangai areas and are also consolidating their positions around Razmak. We have achieved significant targets before time and forces are continuing their operation successfully, Athar said.
Responding to a question, Athar said the time frame set for completion of operation, which started on October 17 morning, could not be disclosed but it would be accomplished before the stipulated time. We have set some time frame and hopefully, the operation will be completed before stipulated time, he said.
Answering a question about the Indian hand in South Waziristan, Athar Abbas said that some Indian weapons had also been captured but no truckload of Indian weapons was found which could provide any concrete evidence. However, he said, some hostile agencies were providing financial and material assistance to miscreants in South Waziristan.
He said the Pakistan Army has enough resources and would not ask for outside assistance for carrying out the operation.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the option of negotiation was never ruled out but there was no question of any talks with militants at this stage. Negotiations will be held only when they (terrorists) surrender, the minister maintained. He said the government took the decision to take action in this area when the writ of the national institutions was challenged by the militants.
He said so for 14,500 families, which left South Waziristan, have been registered which include 11,000 old families and 3,500 new families. He said these internally displaced persons (IDPs) would be provided one-month ration on immediate basis and very soon they would be supplied with the non-food items. He said no camp has been established so far as the IDPs prefer to stay with their relatives. Kaira said sufficient funds have been earmarked to look after the displaced persons.
Replying to a question whether the United States had been asked not to conduct any drone attacks during the operation, the minister said that the government had already condemned the drone attacks which were proving counterproductive. He said Pakistan should be provided the drone technology as Pakistans security forces could use this technology in a better way.
COAS urges Mehsuds to stand up against militants
