bobdina
04-13-2010, 06:04 PM
Taliban 'fleeing' Arakzai to Khyber
By Bill RoggioApril 12, 2010 8:48 AM
NWFP-Red-Map-21Oct2009-thumb2.png
Map of northwestern Paksitan.
The Pakistani military claim the Taliban are "fleeing" the Arakzai tribal agency and are moving to a remote region in Khyber that is known to serve as a sanctuary for the Taliban and al Qaeda.
The Pakistani military said the Taliban were regrouping in Khyber's Tirah Valley, in a press release issued on Sunday.
"Due to successful operation of security forces in others agencies of FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Agences], militants had started fleeing to Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency due to its linkages with other agencies and Afghanistan," according to the statement released on the website of the Inter-Services Public Relations. "Tirah [is] a strong hold of Lashar-i-Islam [and has] become hub / confluence of militants ex TTP [Taliban], TTS and Foreign fighters. Confirm reports are being received through intelligence sources and Political Administration about growing [number] of militants and threats. Militants have established [their] hide outs and training centers in different parts of Tirah Valley."
The Pakistani military, led by the paramilitary Frontier Corps, has been conducting sustained operations in Arazkai for months. But fighting has intensified since March 21. The military has claimed 419 Taliban fighters have been killed during ground operations and air and artillery strikes in the tribal agency over the past 23 days, according to data compiled from Pakistani news reports by The Long War Journal. Only eight soldiers have been reported killed in Arakzai during that time. Two soldiers and 41 Taliban fighters were reported killed during clashes today, Dawn reported.
Although the military maintains that 90 percent of the lower areas of Arakzai have been "cleared," the most intense fighting has occurred in this region.
Both Arakzai and Khyber have become hubs of Taliban and al Qaeda activity since the Pakistani military launched an operation in the Mehsud tribal areas in South Waziristan in October 2009. The Taliban have also relocated to Kurram, North Waziristan, and the Wazir tribal areas of South Waziristan under the control of Mullah Nazir. [See LWJ reports, "Taliban escape South Waziristan operation," and "Pakistani airstrikes in Khyber kill 45," for more information.]
The military claimed it killed 45 members of the pro-Taliban Lashkar-e-Islam during airstrikes on April 10, but locals said that mostly civilians were killed while holding a jirga, or tribal meeting. Members of the Kuki Khel Afridi tribe stated that 63 people were killed in the airstrikes and have lodged a protest with the the Khyber political agent. The government has paid survivors of the airstrikes, despite military claims that those killed were Lashkar-e-Islam fighters.
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/04/taliban_fleeing_arak.php#ixzz0l1KA4S5Y
By Bill RoggioApril 12, 2010 8:48 AM
NWFP-Red-Map-21Oct2009-thumb2.png
Map of northwestern Paksitan.
The Pakistani military claim the Taliban are "fleeing" the Arakzai tribal agency and are moving to a remote region in Khyber that is known to serve as a sanctuary for the Taliban and al Qaeda.
The Pakistani military said the Taliban were regrouping in Khyber's Tirah Valley, in a press release issued on Sunday.
"Due to successful operation of security forces in others agencies of FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Agences], militants had started fleeing to Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency due to its linkages with other agencies and Afghanistan," according to the statement released on the website of the Inter-Services Public Relations. "Tirah [is] a strong hold of Lashar-i-Islam [and has] become hub / confluence of militants ex TTP [Taliban], TTS and Foreign fighters. Confirm reports are being received through intelligence sources and Political Administration about growing [number] of militants and threats. Militants have established [their] hide outs and training centers in different parts of Tirah Valley."
The Pakistani military, led by the paramilitary Frontier Corps, has been conducting sustained operations in Arazkai for months. But fighting has intensified since March 21. The military has claimed 419 Taliban fighters have been killed during ground operations and air and artillery strikes in the tribal agency over the past 23 days, according to data compiled from Pakistani news reports by The Long War Journal. Only eight soldiers have been reported killed in Arakzai during that time. Two soldiers and 41 Taliban fighters were reported killed during clashes today, Dawn reported.
Although the military maintains that 90 percent of the lower areas of Arakzai have been "cleared," the most intense fighting has occurred in this region.
Both Arakzai and Khyber have become hubs of Taliban and al Qaeda activity since the Pakistani military launched an operation in the Mehsud tribal areas in South Waziristan in October 2009. The Taliban have also relocated to Kurram, North Waziristan, and the Wazir tribal areas of South Waziristan under the control of Mullah Nazir. [See LWJ reports, "Taliban escape South Waziristan operation," and "Pakistani airstrikes in Khyber kill 45," for more information.]
The military claimed it killed 45 members of the pro-Taliban Lashkar-e-Islam during airstrikes on April 10, but locals said that mostly civilians were killed while holding a jirga, or tribal meeting. Members of the Kuki Khel Afridi tribe stated that 63 people were killed in the airstrikes and have lodged a protest with the the Khyber political agent. The government has paid survivors of the airstrikes, despite military claims that those killed were Lashkar-e-Islam fighters.
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/04/taliban_fleeing_arak.php#ixzz0l1KA4S5Y