Operation Rah-e-Nijat

[vinod2070]

Pakistan Launches Ground Offensive Against Al Qaeda, Taliban


DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan — Pakistani soldiers attacked militant bases in the main al-Qaida and Taliban stronghold along the Afghan border Saturday as the nuclear-armed country launched its most critical offensive yet against insurgents threatening its stability.

Five soldiers and 11 militants were killed as the more than 30,000 troops deployed to the region met stiff resistance in parts of South Waziristan, a possible hide-out of Osama bin Laden and a base for jihadists bent on overthrowing the U.S-backed government, attacking the West and scuttling the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan

The U.S. has pushed Pakistan to mount the offensive, which follows three unsuccessful campaigns since 2001 in the mountainous, remote region by mostly poorly equipped soldiers trained to fight conventional wars, not counterinsurgency operations.


The assault, which has been planned for several months, comes after a surge in militant attacks killed more than 175 people across Pakistan over the past two weeks. The operation is expected to last around two months and is aimed at clearing the region, then holding it, officials said.


Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the effort was focused on uprooting the Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella group of militants led by members of the Mehsud tribe blamed for most of the attacks that have battered the country over the last three years.


About 10,000 local militants and about 1,500 foreign fighters, most of them from Central Asia, control roughly 1,275 square miles (3,310 square kilometers) of territory, or about half of South Waziristan.
Intelligence officials said the ground troops Saturday were advancing on two flanks and a northern front of a central part of South Waziristan controlled by the Mehsuds. The areas being surrounded include the insurgent bases of Ladha and Makeen, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to brief the media.
Gunbattles were taking place outside Spinkai Raghzai, Kalkala and Sharwangai areas, the officials said.


As many as 150,000 civilians — possibly more — have left in recent months after the army made clear it was planning an assault. Most are believed to be staying in rented homes or with host families, but there are perhaps as many as 350,000 still in the region. The United Nations has been stockpiling relief supplies in a town near the region, but authorities are not expecting a major refugee crisis like the one that occurred during an offensive this year in the Swat Valley, also in the northwest.


Makeen resident Ajmal Khan said that the people left in his town were terrified but could not leave their homes due to a curfew.


"We heard sounds of planes and helicopters early Saturday. Then we heard blasts," Khan told The Associated Press by telephone. "We are also hearing gunshots and it seems the army is exchanging fire with the Taliban."


Over the last three months, the Pakistani air force has been bombing targets, while the army has said it has sealed off many Taliban supply and escape routes. The military has been trying to secure the support of local tribal armies in the fight.


At least 11 suspected insurgents were killed in the jet bombings, while a roadside bomb hit a security convoy, killing one soldier and wounding three others, two local intelligence officials said. A military statement Saturday evening said four soldiers were killed and 12 wounded in exchanges in the region.


It is nearly impossible to independently verify information from the region, which has little infrastructure or government presence. Foreigners require permission to enter the tribal areas, and few Pakistani journalists from other parts risk traveling there.
Recent opinion polls show widespread public support for military action against the insurgents and there is also broad political backing, a change from a few years ago. But a long and bloody conflict — and more terrorist attacks around the country — could erode that support.


Even if the army retakes the area, the offensive by itself is unlikely to be death blow to the country's entrenched militants, who have formed networks across the country, including with groups once nurtured by the state as proxies against its arch enemy India.
The militants could escape to other parts of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal belt or cities in its heartland. The areas being targeted by the operation don't directly border Afghanistan, which could limit the impact on U.S., Afghan and NATO troops battling a resurgent Afghan Taliban.


Pakistan waged offensives in the Bajur and Mohmand tribal regions earlier this year that it hailed as successes. But militants are still active in both and there has been little reconstruction.


South Waziristan is also much farther that those two regions from the main northwestern city of Peshawar, meaning keeping the troops supplied will be much harder.
Since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Pakistan army's three attempts to dislodge Taliban fighters from South Waziristan have ended in truces that left the Taliban in control. This time, the military has said there will be no deals, partly to avoid jeopardizing gains won earlier this year when Pakistani soldiers overpowered the Taliban in Swat.
The army's efforts in South Waziristan got a boost when a U.S. missile strike killed Pakistani



Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in August. The militants have since named fellow tribesman Hakimullah Mehsud as their leader, and have claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks, including a 22-hour standoff at the army's headquarters.


Taliban spokesmen could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday. Communications in and around the region appeared jammed, making it difficult to reach local residents or other witnesses.


The U.S. is trying to rush in equipment for the offensive that would help with mobility, night fighting and precision bombing, a U.S. Embassy official told AP in a recent interview, speaking on condition of anonymity because the issue is politically sensitive.
In addition to night-vision devices, the Pakistan military has said it is seeking additional Cobra helicopter gunships, laser-guided munitions and intelligence equipment to monitor cell and satellite telephones.


Army planners are also considering the weather. Snows expected in the coming weeks could block major roads in South Waziristan. At the same time, the winter could work to the army's advantage by driving fighters out of their unheated mountain hide-outs.


Pakistan Launches Ground Offensive Against Al Qaeda, Taliban - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

[DarkStar]

30,000 troops, battling an estimated 10-20 thousand entrenched militants, who will be tougher to crack than those in swat.

I dread to think that these number of troops will not be enough to fully cordon the area, and stop militants escaping to other areas of Pakistan, or towards their sanctuaries on the Afghan side.

[vinod2070]

The U.S. is trying to rush in equipment for the offensive that would help with mobility, night fighting and precision bombing, a U.S. Embassy official told AP in a recent interview, speaking on condition of anonymity because the issue is politically sensitive.

In addition to night-vision devices, the Pakistan military has said it is seeking additional Cobra helicopter gunships, laser-guided munitions and intelligence equipment to monitor cell and satellite telephones.

This is all god and a most welcome help in a common objective to get rid of the primitive terrorists.

How does it match up with the conspiracy theories of the likes of Zaid Hamid who accuse USA (and India) of sponsoring the TTP?

Jhhooth ke paon nahi hote. One truth is enough to blow away a thousand lies and conspiracy theories.

[vinod2070]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

30,000 troops, battling an estimated 10-20 thousand entrenched militants, who will be tougher to crack than those in swat.

I dread to think that these number of troops will not be enough to fully cordon the area, and stop militants escaping to other areas of Pakistan, or towards their sanctuaries on the Afghan side.

I agree. The militants and terrorists should be crushed and squatted like flies. They should never be allowed to feel that they have a fighting chance, just overwhelming force will do for such scum.

No mercy and no second chance. It may just prove to be too costly.

[Lady Macbeth]

About time......but I just dread the news after this...its make or break time and the killer bee hive has just been piqued.
May all our armed forces officers be safe and it would be sooooo amazing if we didnt lose any precious lives and all our officers returned home safe amidst cheers of a jubilant victory!

[Neo]

God bless our Jawans and give them the strength and courage to eliminate this cancer of our society we know as Talibans. There's no place of terrorists or religious etremists in Islam or Pakistan.

[Xeric]

http://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.as...944#pr_link944

No 425/2009-ISPR Dated: October 18, 2009
Rawalpindi - October 18, 2009:

Daily ISPR Update

1. South Waziristan- Operation Rah-e-Nijat

a. In last 24 hours, reportedly , sixty (60) terrorists have been killed in operation Rah-e-Nijat. Casualties of security forces are five (05) soldiers embraced shahadat and eleven (11) are injured. Details are as follows:-

(1) On Jandola-Kotkai-Sararogha Axis, area upto Mandana, Kund and Tarakai feature has been secured by security forces. Reportedly thirty terrorists have been killed and many injured. Own casualties are 2 soldiers shaheed and 4 injured.

(2) On Shakai-Kaniguram-Ladha Axis, Operation has progressed 7 Kilometers north of Shakai and features like Boya Narai and Wuzi Sar have been captured. Fighting is going around Sherwangi. Reportedly twenty terrorists have been killed and many injured. Own casualties are 1 soldier shaheed and 3 injured.

(3) Important features and tactical heights around and south of Razmak have been secured by security forces. Reportedly 10 terrorists have been killed. Own casualties are 2 soldiers shaheed and 4 injured including two officers.

(4) Six 12.7mm Anti air craft gun positions of terrorists have been destroyed in different areas and one 12.7 mm gun position has been captured in Wuzi Sar area. Lot of IEDs / mines have been recovered.

(5) Number of vehicles under use of terrorists have been destroyed. Due to security forces advance, terrorists are vacating their posts / area leaving behind arms and ammunition.

(6) Villages / hutments enroute are being cleared by security forces conducting search and clearance operation. Civilians are not being targeted; in some areas people (including women) raised white flags; they were left off after search.

2. Swat-Malakand (Operation Rah-e-Rast)

a. Security forces conducted search operation at Kaldar Khwar and Mulla Banda Nullah near Fatehpur and Miandam and 4 terrorists were apprehended and 9 caves (12’ length and 8’ width) were also recovered.

b. Security forces conducted search operation at Mian Milli near Matta and recovered one 12.7 mm gun.

c. Security forces conducted search operation at Hamwarai near Khawazakhela and 2 terrorists were apprehended.

d. During search operation security forces discovered 1 cave at Tiligram and recovered few weapons.

[vinod2070]

One question though, I see quite a few people here mesmerized by the Chinese "strategic" relationship and "true friendship" with Pakistan.

What is China doing to help you materially at such a crucial juncture in Pakistan's struggle against terrorists who are trying to rip it apart? Is there something going on that is not in public domain?

Or is it again a case of they not helping because Pakistan didn't ask!

[Xeric]

Pakistan army says it has killed 60 militants on first day of South Waziristan operation

Pakistan army says it has killed 60 militants on first day of South Waziristan operation

By Zarar Khan, Ap
October 18th, 2009

Pakistan claims 60 militants killed in operation

MIR ALI, Pakistan — Pakistan’s army claimed Sunday to have killed 60 militants on the first day of an operation against an al-Qaida and Taliban sanctuary close to the Afghan border that residents said was meeting stiff resistance from insurgents.

The army said six soldiers had also been killed in the opening salvoes of the push into South Waziristan.

It was not possible to independently verify those figures because reporters have been stopped from getting close to the battlefield.

The operation in South Waziristan follows repeated requests from the U.S. to take on the jihadists behind soaring terrorist attacks in the nuclear-armed nation, as well as al-Qaida and other extremists believed to be plotting strikes in the West.

It involves mostly poorly equipped Pakistani soldiers trained to fight conventional wars, not counterinsurgency operations, who have failed in three other campaigns in the mountainous region since 2004. Much of the region is under total Taliban control.

Accounts from residents and those fleeing Sunday suggested that the 30,000 troops were in for a bloodier time than in the Swat Valley, another northwestern region that the army successfully wrested away from insurgents earlier this year.

“Militants are offering very tough resistance to any movement of troops,” Ehsan Mahsud, a resident of Makeen, a town in the region, told The Associated Press in the town of Mir Ali, close to the battle zone. He and a friend arrived there early Sunday after traveling through the night.

Mahsud said the army appeared to be mostly relying on air strikes and artillery against militants occupying high ground. He said the insurgents were firing heavy machine guns at helicopter gunships, forcing the air force to use higher-flying jets.

The army is up against about 10,000 local militants and about 1,500 foreign fighters, most of them from Central Asia. They control roughly 1,275 square miles (3,310 square kilometers) of territory, or about half of South Waziristan, in areas loyal to former militant chief Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a U.S. missile strike in August.

Officials have said they envisage the operation will last two months, when winter weather will make fighting difficult.

A brief army statement said 60 militants had been killed, along with six soldiers, since Saturday. It said the army had secured high regions close to Razmak, where the army has had a base for several years, and destroyed six militant anti-aircraft gun positions.

A resident in Wana — the main town in South Waziristan and in the heart of Taliban-held territory — said the insurgents had left the town and were stationed on the borders of the region, determined to block any army advance.

“All the Taliban who used to be around here have gone to take their position to protect the Mehsud boundary,” Azamatullah Wazir said by phone Sunday. “The army will face difficulty to get in there.”

Intelligence officials said Saturday that the ground troops were advancing on two flanks and a northern front of a central part of South Waziristan controlled by the Mehsuds. The areas being surrounded include the insurgent bases of Ladha and Makeen, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to brief the media.

As many as 150,000 civilians — possibly more — have left in recent months after the army made clear it was planning an assault, but as many as 350,000 could still be in the region. The United Nations has been stockpiling relief supplies in a town near the region, but authorities are not expecting a major refugee crisis like the one that occurred during the offensive this year in the Swat Valley.

Over the last three months, the Pakistani air force has been bombing targets in South Waziristan, while the army has said it has sealed off many Taliban supply and escape routes. The military has been trying to secure the support of local tribal armies in the fight.

Rasool Dawar reported from Mir Ali, while Zarar Khan reported from Islamabad.

[Xeric]

Pakistan Army takes fight to Taliban in South Waziristan | csmonitor.com


Pakistan Army takes fight to Taliban in South Waziristan


Gen. David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, is due to arrive in Islamabad on Monday for talks with Pakistani commanders.

By Issam Ahmed | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

from the October 18, 2009 edition

Islamabad, Pakistan - A three-pronged offensive deep into Taliban territory entered its second day on Sunday as heavy fighting between the Pakistan Army and the Taliban left 60 militants and six soldiers dead, according to officials.

Gen. David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, is due to arrive in Islamabad on Monday for talks with Pakistani commanders regarding what observers have called the "mother of all battles," highlighting the importance Washington attaches to the offensive.

Codenamed "Rah-i-Nijat" or "The Path to Salvation," the operation is taking place in the Taliban heartland of South Waziristan, a barren, mountainous region spanning some 6,620 square kilometers. It has been described as an Al Qaeda safe haven where 80 percent of terrorist attacks in Pakistan are planned.

According to retired Brig. Shaukat Qadir, a military analyst, securing the territory will be crucial in preventing militants from carrying out the kind of deadly attacks that have killed more than 150 Pakistanis over the past two weeks.

"After [Swat Valley], this was the last bastion that was available to the terrorist structure in Pakistan. It means they will not have any territory they will be able to fall back upon," he says.

The country is also bracing for retaliatory attacks with major cities on high alert. Nearly 100 arrests of suspected terrorists were made in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Monday while a search operation was conducted in the vicinity of the Army's General Headquarters, which militants were able to successfully storm last week. In the eastern city of Lahore, three private schools were closed due to security threats.

Army encircles Taliban stronghold town

According to Express 24/7, a private news channel, the military is closing in on the town of Makeen, a militant stronghold in South Waziristan, from three directions: Razmak to the north, Shakai to the southwest, and Jandola to the southeast. The area is also being bombed according to reports.

The Army claims to have destroyed six anti-aircraft gun positions and numerous hideouts, though these claims have not been independently verified.

Two divisions, totaling 28,000 troops are engaged in the battle, while estimates of enemy numbers vary. There are thought to be between 10,000-20,000 Mehsud tribesmen behind their leader Hakimullah Mehsud, who is also chief of the Pakistani Taliban. In addition, there are believed to be a core of foreign fighters, predominantly Uzbek, who number in the hundreds and are crucial in giving Hakimullah an edge, according to Qadir, the analyst.

"They are basically out-sourced Al Qaeda fighters, they are dedicated and fierce and allow Hakimullah to stamp his authority," he says.

How this offensive will be different

The Army will be familiar with the terrain having conducted operations in South Waziristan in 2004, 2005 and 2008, only to later retreat or negotiate peace deals with the enemy.

However, unlike in those years, the Army will benefit from the backing of the public and soldiers no longer feel they are fighting a war that is not theirs, says Qadir. "In earlier incursions, you had an instance where 208 soldiers surrendered to only a handful of militants. It was a moral revolt – they felt it was [former military ruler] Musharraf's war," he says.

The military will also benefit from air cover, greater numbers, assistance from the United States in terms of night-vision equipment, and the fact it has managed to keep onboard other powerful militant commanders in the region, including Maulvi Nazir in South Waziristan and Hafiz Gul Bahadur in North Waziristan, who have pledged to remain neutral, says Dr. Rifaat Hussain, a security analyst at the Quaid-e-Azam university.

Still, their word cannot be entirely relied on given the fickle nature of militants loyalties. The enemy will be well dug in, on its home turf, and will benefit from a "short-supply line" from neighboring Afghanistan, adds Dr. Hussain.

Tens of thousands of refugees flee

The army will also be hoping to wrap-up the offensive before the onset of winter hampers troops and makes life unbearable for refugees fleeing the area. More than 100,000 residents have so far fled the fighting, Col. Basim Shahid of the Army support group told the media. A spokesperson for the United Nations told Express 24/7 that 21,000 refugees had been registered in the last five days alone.

A long, drawn out confrontation punctuated by ongoing terror attacks in major cities may also start to sap public opinion and lead to calls for a renewed cease-fire, according to some analysts.

Ayesha Siddiqa, author of "Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy" says that even if the military is eventually successful in its battle in the tribal regions, Pakistan will not be able to quell the threat of homegrown terrorism until it tackles the problem of militancy in southern Punjab. Militants from this region have long been trained by Pakistan's security forces to wage war in Kashmir but have in recent years developed deep links with Al Qaeda and the Taliban. They are still able to carry out their activities with relatively little scrutiny, she says.

Qadir, however, has a different view: "Southern Punjab is the hotbed of religious extremism. They provide fresh blood for the terrorists but the training for terrorists is in South Waziristan. There are no training facilities in Bahawalpur [a town in southern Punjab]."