Pakistan says militants must surrender, or die

Reuters | 3/20/04 | Hafiz Wazir

[kattracks]

WANA, Pakistan, March 20 (Reuters) - Pakistani forces rained fire on Saturday on besieged foreign militants and Pakistani tribal allies thought to be sheltering Osama bin Laden's deputy near the Afghan border.

The 300 to 400 al Qaeda fighters and Pakistani tribesman holding out in well-fortified mud-brick compounds in Pakistan's wild South Warizistan tribal area were pounded with shells and mortar bombs throughout the night.

The Pakistani military says the militants are surrounded and face only two choices -- surrender or die.

"They cannot escape... Either they surrender or they get eliminated," military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan told CNN.

Pakistani forces say the fierce defence the militants have mounted since the battle began on Tuesday suggested they were trying to protect a "high-value target", possibly Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri.

No officials has confirmed he is among those encircled.

"There was no pause in the firing," a resident of the town of Wana, to the east of the battle, said just after dawn. "Our houses were shaking."

Bursts of small-arms fire erupted at first light, indicating stiff resistance from the militants on a fifth day of fighting.

Zawahri, an Egyptian doctor, is regarded as the brains of al Qaeda. He is thought to be one of the key figures behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The capture of one of the world's most wanted men would be a major coup for the United States, under fire over its rationale for the war in Iraq. Saturday is the first anniversary of the start of that conflict.

Western intelligence sources say Zawahri and bin Laden are believed to be close to each other, somewhere in Pakistan's often lawless and largely autonomous tribal lands.

Pakistani officials have said bin Laden is not believed to be among the besieged fighters.

The militants have no way of replenishing their ammunition, Pakistani officials have said. Sultan said he expected the battle to be over soon.

"HAMMER AND ANVIL"

The offensive, involving several thousand soldiers, is the biggest Pakistan has fought since it joined the U.S.-led war on terror after the September 11 attacks.

About a dozen Americans are giving technical assistance in intelligence gathering but no U.S. ground troops are involved, the military said.

Across the border in Afghanistan, U.S.-led forces have launched a spring push against the resurgent Taliban militia and their al Qaeda allies. The Pentagon is calling the twin offensives on either side of the rugged border a "hammer and anvil" operation.

About 30 Pakistani soldiers have been killed, officials in the area say, although the military has declined to give details of casualties.

The number of militants killed was not known although military officials said 24, including some foreigners, were killed on the first day of the battle on Tuesday.

Hundreds of villagers left the area after the Pakistani military urged them to move to safety.

"People in Wana are sharing their houses and food with those who've fled the troubled areas," the Wana resident said. "We have friends and relatives here."

"Many people are fed up with all this. They want peace."

The FBI lists Zawahri among its "Most Wanted Terrorists" with a bounty of $25 million on his head. He has been indicted in the United States for his alleged role in the August 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

[Paleo Conservative]

I can live with that.

[squidly]

Sounds as if the Pakistanis didn't bring in the heavy artillery, or else they aren't using it. When hundreds are surrounded by thousands, and the hundreds are guerrilla/terrorists and the thousands are government army, one wouldn't think it would have lasted this long.

[js1138]

I love the smell of negotiations in the morning.

[oolatec]

They cannot escape? Heh... watch them escape... we will hear it in the morning... *sigh* The US would have handled this in an hour!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sounds good!

[SCHROLL]

When you can't negociate, how ya gonna call? MOAB!!!!

[js1138]

I suspect there are more tha a fe american special ops lurking in the vicinity. If we could see OBL from satellite imagery in the year 2000, we can see people sneaking around from drones at 40,000 feet. I'm optimistic that we will get at least several hundred AQs.

[fish hawk]

I hope they fight to the death. Clean and easier that way. No courts, no costs. Settled.

[Cap Huff]

"'There was no pause in the firing,' a resident of the town of Wana, to the east of the battle, said just after dawn. "Our houses were shaking."

I am not the geography expert around here, but I believe that the fighting is taking place about ten miles from Wana.

Boot, help us out here if you are on line. . . .

I thought I remember one town mentioned as being 6 miles west, but another (as I recall) about 18 (which many have been kms).

I hope it went straight throught he night. It is now about noon over there, so news should be getting out soon if there is anything much to report. . . .

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Fox has been mentioning Kaloosa as to the location where the helicopter gunships are working!

[witnesstothefall]

The capture of one of the world's most wanted men would be a major coup for the United States,

That's a fair statement. It's also fair to say we've already achieved a major coup by having the Pak army finally invade the tribal areas in force and take the fight to the enemy. Any HVT's are gravy IMO....

[Cap Huff]

I know that Boot Hill did some work pinpointing where Kaloosha (also spelled Kalusha in some reports) is located. I'd have to go back and try to find the postings.

[Angelus Errare]

The area in question is 15-20 kilometers (though now it's 50) in diameter ranging from Zarian Noor to Azam Warsak. Kaloosha was at the center of the Pakistani attack earlier, but now the focus seems to have shifted to Shin Warzak.

The reason they aren't pounding the area is because al-Qaeda has taken the entire local population hostage - it's a tactic they used in the first Chechen war.

[observer5]

If they surrender they will be severely PARDONED!

[pepsionice]

The only place to escape to...is Afghanistan...and we can bet that at least 1000 American GIs are on the hillside overlooking border, with night-vision goggles...and waiting. They will greet anyone walking toward Afghanistan. Whoever is in the middle of this chaos...has very few options. But our friends in the twin towers didn't have too many options either.

[Cap Huff]

Thanks.

I just found the Kaloosha post here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1099566/posts?page=54#54

that said 6 miles. But now that you mention it, Shin Warzak must be where the real action is. That must have been the 18 km figure I recalled.

[EGPWS]

I love the smell of negotiations in the morning.

LoL's!

Any recommendations on a good coffee cleaner?

My monitor would appreciate any input on this matter!

[I_dmc]

I hope they fight to the death. Clean and easier that way. No courts, no costs. Settled.

Hard to beat the clarity of a well placed round.

[EGPWS]

"They cannot escape... Either they surrender or they get eliminated,"

I wonder if the word "HOOYA" is in the Pakistani language?