Deathly silence descends on South Waziristan(250 Hostages taken...)

KARACHI - Villagers in Pakistan's South Waziristan agency have left their homes, fearing the United States will soon begin dropping bombs, while aircraft from the Afghan side of the border fly overhead. On the ground, burnt-out military vehicles litter the landscape. The fighting has stopped and an eerie silence prevails over the area, said Zafar, a resident of Wana who gave an eyewitness account to Asia Times Online from Watchadana, which borders Afghanistan.

But the present calm is just the beginning of a new storm. Tuesday's deadly clash between Pakistani forces and local tribespeople marks the first time in the last several operations, when Pakistani troops came down forcefully in South Waziristan, that they have been humiliated by the tribals - along with the Islamic militants who have already converged in the area and view the situation as a holy war. South Waziristan is one of seven federally administered tribal areas where fiercely independent tribes have been allowed to govern their own affairs. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban enjoy widespread popular support in the mountainous and isolated border areas, the poorest and most religiously conservative parts of Pakistan.

Well-informed sources tell Asia Times Online that about 250 people, including a member of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) constabulary, the staff of a local political agent and members of the Khasa Dar force have been taken hostage by the tribespeople. Aside from the 10 soldiers killed in Tuesday's encounter, the bodies of 10 more people, including a confirmed soldier of the Pakistan Army, have been sent to a camp in Wana by the tribals. These were said to have been hostages who were killed in captivity.

At present, the area from Zarian Noor to Azam Warsak is in complete control of the tribals and Islamic militants. Sources confirmed that US aircraft near Azam Warsak can be heard flying in the distance and there is also a mobilization of US troops in Afghanistan near the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Though not confirmed, there are strong theories that US forces are taking position to strike inside Pakistani areas bordering Afghanistan. As a result, the hundreds of tribals and Islamic militants have also taken position and have arranged suicide squads in case US troops make a move. Informed sources in the NFPT tell Asia Times Online that in the neighboring tribal towns of the Bajur, North Waziristan and Mohammand agencies, tribals are getting their act together.

In South Waziristan, funeral prayers are going on in army camps as the tribespeople again draw their line with a warning that whoever crosses it will face certain death. Both sides of the conflict are now in position. While all is quiet at the moment, it is likely that a further push from the Pakistani Army will set off more fireworks in the tribal areas.

Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf a few days ago visited NWFP where he addressed tribal elders and warned them that if any operation is prevented in tribal areas against al-Qaeda, Pakistan would face dire consequences from the wrath of the United States. But the dire consequences of Tuesday's operation left the Pakistani forces with no face-saving option - except denial. Despite the obvious fact that the Pakistani Army is stationed in tribal areas and has launched an operation, the Pakistan Army as an institution is still denying its involvement.

Speaking to Asia Times Online Wednesday morning from Rawalpindi by telephone, the director general of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) public relations, Major General Shaukat Sultan, refused to admit that the Pakistan army had anything to do with Tuesday's operation.

"No Pakistani troops are involved in South Waziristan now and the whole operation carried out [Tuesday] was done by Frontier Constabulary, a para-military force, and the secretary of the federally administered tribal areas is the right person to ask about the operation,~{!1~} said Shaukat Sultan.

The manner in which Pakistan's armed forces disowned both the operation and the level of the insurgency shows the military is fully aware that the situation is out of control. But at the same time , these denials also reflect that the armed forces do not want to take the blame for a clash between Pakistani forces and Pakistani citizens in which both sustained casualties - especially when they are fighting a war for somebody else on Pakistani soil. The situation clearly hints the future course of action - and who is now really dominating the Pakistani Army: the US.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a report via The Nation. Its a bit long and not particularly fluent story, but there are some details, particularly about place names. The point of view is that the operation was a "miscalculation."

Situation in Wana tense From Our Correspondent

PESHAWAR/WANA – Wana was tense but quiet on Wednesday as administration dispatched dead bodies of FC personnel to their native villages and the injured to hospitals and common tribesmen living in the nearby areas, fearing further trouble, started shifting towards Jandola area of South Waziristan Agency.

In response to the Tuesday “miscalculation” where 16 FC men lost their lives in an ambush, the government ordered further deployment of military troops in the crisis-hit parts and regions of South Waziristan. Army personnel is being airlifted from Peshawar and Nowshehra to Wana as and other areas of South and North Waziristan Agencies.

The authorities have confirmed the death of 15 men of Frontier Corps and injuries to 22 others, thus raising the death toll to 40 in the gunbattles that took place in areas between Wana and the border town of Azam Warsak.

So far three of the injured suspects have been shifted to a military hospital in Peshawar. These suspects were arrested during the fight and are stated to be foreign origin. One of them is believed to be from an Arab country while the identity of the remaining two is yet to be confirmed.

Nine more suspects were also arrested by the FC personnel on Tuesday.

Controversy continues about the total number of the death toll and of those arrested.

The authorities in Peshawar and South Waziristan Agency are reluctant to give a final figure about the casualties of suspected al Qaeda fugitives and their harbourers from tribal areas.

After the Tuesday action official announcement held that 24 suspects had been killed in the clashes whereas independent tribal sources insist that number of casualties from the resisting groups was not more than four. So far only two of the dead bodies of the suspects have been shifted to Wana.

“Efforts are underway to recover the remaining bodies,” officials from Wana informed

The Nation.

Independent sources in Wana also maintain that casualties from Frontier Corps and Khasadar Forces were more than the officially announced figure.

Government sources in Peshawar and Wana, however, contradict such reports.
There is controversy also about the whereabouts of the missing personnel. Official sources claim that all 18 people who went missing on Tuesday have since returned safe to their units and offices.

However, independent tribal sources are yet to confirm the return of the missing people, included two naib tehsildars.

According to eye witness accounts, the 15 or so government vehicles that were damaged in the attacks on personnel of law enforcing agencies were later set on fire by angry tribesmen. Authorities have yet to fix responsibility regarding the miscalculation that led to record number of casualties sustained by the Frontier Corps and Khasadar Forces for the first time in the war on terror since tragic incident of 9/11.

Security experts are of the view that the miscalculation was a result of keeping the pro-government tribal Lashkar out of the decision-making loop. In a bid to avoid leakage of information the authorities embarked on the operation without taking the Lashkar elders in confidence, an official source informed. The administration was alert to the presence of suspected foreigners and their local helpers but was unaware of their number and armed strength, said the source.

These suspects and their supporters adopted Taliban’s 1997-98 modus operandi and ambushed the Frontier Corps men. Fierce gunbattle ensued; the FC men managed to break the circle but had to pay a high cost. Assessing the strategy and the recent action, retired militia officials and tribal elders were of the view that without support of local tribesmen it is near impossible for the administration to achieve its goals.

They said that since the independence this was the highest number of causalties in a single action suffered by the Frontier Corps.According to sources, the administration did not await the return of tribal elders from Peshawar and decided to deploy forces on mid-night between Monday and Tuesday. Most elders from different clans of Ahmadzai Wazir tribe were in Governor House Peshawar on President Pervez Musharaf invitation.

The tribal jirga had already given a deadline to seven wanted people to surrender by Tuesday otherwise the traditional tribal Lashkar would embark on operation from Wednesday. Upset at their elders being disregarded, the common tribesmen in the area have refrained from extending support to the personnel of law enforcing agencies.Meanwhile, fearing angry reaction at hands of the political administration, Frontier Corps and armed forces, and fearful of the bombers of Operation Mountain Storm entering Pakistan airspace, the tribesmen from Sheen Warsak, Kalushah and Landijog are moving down towards peaceful areas of South Waziristan.Most of them are traveling towards Jandola, which is situated between Wana and Tank.

So far the authorities are engaged in talks with tribal elders in their independent and individual capacity but they are yet to convene the traditional tribal jirga to find out how such incident can be avoided in futire.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/Mar-2004/18/main/top5.asp

They were able to grab prisoners.

So far three of the injured suspects have been shifted to a military hospital in Peshawar. These suspects were arrested during the fight and are stated to be foreign origin. One of them is believed to be from an Arab country while the identity of the remaining two is yet to be confirmed.

Nine more suspects were also arrested by the FC personnel on Tuesday.

Controversy continues about the total number of the death toll and of those arrested.

The authorities in Peshawar and South Waziristan Agency are reluctant to give a final figure about the casualties of suspected al Qaeda fugitives and their harbourers from tribal areas.

After the Tuesday action official announcement held that 24 suspects had been killed in the clashes whereas independent tribal sources insist that number of casualties from the resisting groups was not more than four. So far only two of the dead bodies of the suspects have been shifted to Wana.

“Efforts are underway to recover the remaining bodies,” officials from Wana informed

Wonder who was grabbed..

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.