Lashkar starts searching for wanted men in S Waziristan (al Qaeda Alert)

I anticipate that this operation within a few days will be upgraded to Breaking News.

FYI

This is a continuation of what is described in http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1116273/posts

Lashkar = Army

Pakistan is a divided country .

Foxnews Sunday had a video clip on this, this morning.

No, they will deliver.
Here is from yesterday:
http://www.dawn.com/2004/04/18/top3.htm
Wanted men agree to live peacefully: Zalikhels insist on surrender

By Dilawar Khan Wazir

WANA, April 17: In a dramatic development, the five most wanted men in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday offered to live peacefully under tribal guarantees as their own Zalikhel tribe gave them until Sunday evening to surrender or face action.

An official source told Dawn that five tribesmen wanted for sheltering and facilitating foreign militants had conveyed to the government their willingness to live peacefully under guarantees from their Zalikhel tribe.

The offer has been communicated to the government for approval but officials were skeptical that it would be accepted.

"I don't think the government would accept anything short of total surrender", the official said.

This latest development came a day after the five wanted men, including the top men Nek Muhammad and Sharif who met a jirga at Gorgura, about 20km to the west of the regional headquarters, refused to lay down their arms and vowed to continue fighting what they called the Jihad.

The Zalikhel tribe, which met on Saturday to discuss their future line of action, decided to take on the militants to avert a confrontation with the military.

The jirga has given the militants until Sunday evening to surrender. The jirga has raised a lashkar (an armed volunteer force) of about two thousands to take on the wanted men if they did not surrender by the stipulated time, a tribal elder said.

Allahgai Wazir, commander of the tribal lashkar told Dawn that his tribesmen siding with the militants would face cash penalty of Rs1 million, demolition of their houses and banishment from the tribal area.

But some tribal elders said they had received letters from Nek Muhammad threatening them with dire consequences if they sided with the government or joined the tribal lashkar.

"We are Muslims. We have adopted the way of Allah. Pakistan has initiated the action at the Americans' behest. We are subservient to the will of Allah. Therefore, I am urging you to refrain from raising a lashkar and taking action against us. Anybody doing so would be doing at his own peril," the letter read.

But government officials downplayed the threat. "This is no more than a bluff, a hollow threat that means nothing. These militants are on the run, scared. They are sending us offers of future good conduct and threatening their own tribesmen on the other. This betrays their fear," said one senior official.

NWFP Governor Lt-Gen Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has already set a deadline of April 20 for the tribes to find a solution to the issue of foreign militants and their local supporters.

Thousands of troops including regular and paramilitary forces have massed up in the rugged tribal region amid speculation of a possible action after the expiry of the deadline.

In an apparent show of force, soldiers armed with heavy weapons have taken up positions on high ground and the surrounding mountains causing fear amongst the local population as families continue to move to safer locations.

In another significant development, Tozikhel, one of the sub-tribes of Ahmadzai Wazirs entered into an agreement with the authorities in Wana undertaking to refuse sanctuary to foreign militants and allow government functionaries together with military and paramilitary forces to carry out search and stay to verify the presence or otherwise of foreign and local militants.

The tribe has given guarantees to the tune of Rs5 million as an undertaking to abide by the agreement.

The agreement said that the tribe would impose a fine of Rs1 million on any fellow tribesmen found guilty of sheltering foreign and local militants. His house would be demolished and his family would be banished from the area, the agreement said.

"This is a significant achievement", deputy administrator, Wana, Rehmatullah Wazir told Dawn. He said that some other tribes were also expected to sign similar agreements with the administration.

1 million Pakistani Rupees = 17,394.00 USD, i.e. a fortune in these regions.

I applaud your optimism, but I'm going to take a very cautious wait and see attitude. I do notice that so far this time there is no hyping of HVT's in the area.

Thanks, we will see the coming days.

I have become a real cynic when it comes to Pakistan and their help.....call me swarthyguy JR.....:-)

Only the faces and tyrants change in that part of the world.

OK. I'm just going to keep a wait and see attitude. Cynicism never won a war.

Hmmm....I need a scorecard.

They are closing in:
http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=62297
Pakistani Tribals start operation against terrorists

WANA, April 19 (Online): Two days ahead of the expiry of deadline given by government to the suspected foreign militants hiding in tribal areas, Tribal Lashkar Sunday started action against the foreign militants and their tribal supporters and sent armed tribesmen to four areas besides smashing a hide out of suspected terrorists, 12 kilometres from Pak-Afghan border.

The tribal elders and about 1800 armed tribesmen held a jirga on Sunday evening.

Addressing the jirga, the tribal elders said that we all are Muslims and Pushtoon and we can not let the terrorists use our territory for terrorist activities. The terrorists should surrender themselves to the government or quit the area to move to the destinations of their choice, they added.

They warned that the tribal Lashkar has begun action and whosoever will resist would be shot.

About 1200 armed personnel from the lashkar comprising 1800 tribesmen were despatched to the area of Mara which is located 12 kilometre from Pak-Afghan borders. About 150 armed men were sent to the areas of Azamwarsak, KaloTai, Shaheen Warsak, another 150 to Ghundi Docha and about 150 armed men will stay in Shalam.

Reports reaching from the operation areas said that the Tribal lashkar have occupied the homes amid the mountains which are reported to be serving as hide out for the suspected terrorists. However nothing was recovered from these houses.

It was later learnt that about 25 people who lived in these houses made escape ahead of launching of operation.

The armed Lashkar has occupied homes and taken control of adjoining hills. Lashkar will stay overnight and conduct operation next day.

The head of tribal jirga, Malik Ba Khan had informed by telephone the political agent that Lashkar has taken control of Zali Khel tribal area.

The operation was underway till the filing of this report and no information about armed encounter has been received.

Meanwhiel, the ongoing preparation by the political administration and tribal Jirga for operation against al Qaeda and Taliban groups in Northern Waziristan have augmented the miseries of the locals in Miran Shah the head quarter of North Waziristan Agency.

The situation in the offices of Political Administration has worsened because the top officials of PA for last ten days are busy in operation in FR Bittani against anti social elements.

Public circles in an interview showed the resentment to this extent with Online on Sunday. They have expressed their agony at the situation of the area where during last one-year development works are in doldrums.

They have urged upon governor NWFP and provincial Chief Minister and federal government to take some steps for amending the agonies of the locals.

They said that the Frontier constabulary troops that had arrived in the area have been accommodated in local Schools and Health centers and both institutions have been closed for facilitating FC.

One local Malik Iqbal was of the view during last one year a single development project has not been witnessed in the area and millions of rupees fund that was meant for development of Federal Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) has been returned back to FATA secretariat.

He termed this act as injustice with the people of North Waziristan Agency.

Another local Malik Zahoor said that the people of the area are against the anti social elements but they also want to witness some development in their already underprivileged area.

Malik Hayat another irked local demanded an immediate action against the PA who returned the development fund to the FATA secretariat.

Speaking at the occasion President Jamaat-e-Islami Razmak Abdul Rehman said that law enforcement agencies should avoid augmenting the miseries of the common people. He also urged upon the government to devise such a plan that should not disturb the common man.

Meanwhile, Brig (Retd) Mehmood Shah, Secretary FATA has said that tribal Lashkar comprising of Zali Khel tribals youth could arrest the wanted men in the area on its own and it seemed that military would not have to indulge in a military operation.

FATA Secretary expressed these views in a TV interview here on Sunday.

He said informed that Lashkar comprising of one hundred tribesmen has started their search operation against wanted people and if tribal in case lashkar makes a request to Pak military troops for its assistance in the drive, the military would provide every help to the tribals.

OK.....I'll wait for the news of them actually capturing someone.

/sarcasm

Smoke and mirrors.

Anyone of consequence is long gone.

And don't discount the tribals doing a doublecross.

Looks impressive but so what?

http://www.dawn.com/2004/04/19/welcome.htm

Tribesmen launch Al-Qaeda hunt to stave off army offensive: WANA, April 19: Armed tribesmen stormed villages in pursuit of Al-Qaeda fighters and their allies along the border with Afghanistan today, taking the hunt into their own hands under threat of a new military onslaught. Brandishing rifles and rocket launchers, a 2,000-strong tribal force raided and torched homes ahead of a Tuesday deadline to capture hundreds of foreign fighters and their supporters or face a fresh offensive from government troops. (AFP) (Posted @ 15:10 PST)

Zali Khel militants offer unconditional negotiations to Tribal Force. Suspects getting financial, logistic support from abroad: Governor NWFP

WANA, April 20 (Online): Some five most wanted men of Zali Khel tribes have extended an unconditional offer of negotiations to the tribal force. Well-placed sources told Online that Zali Khel tribe continued their operation against the wanted men at Zetri Lata, Karabog, Kaloshah and ShahAlam on Sunday.

On the other hand a grand Jirga was held at Azam Warsak for surrendering of the wanted men.

It was decided during the Jirga meeting that about 600 members of tribal volunteers would remain present at Shah Alam, Zetri Lata and Azam Warsak.

The volunteers have been provided blankets and victuals by the administration. Talking to Jirga assistant political agent of South Waziristan Rehmatullah Wazir said he was satisfied with the performance of Jirga.

We are sure Jirga would ensure arrest of militants by acting effectively, he said.

He made it clear that tribesmen had no connection with Al-Qaeda and Talban saying they want to lead a peaceful life.

Meanwhile speaking in Peshawar Governor NWFP Lt. General Iftikhar Shah Monday said foreign militants taking sanctuary in South Waziristan were getting financial and logistic support from abroad.

"Documents recovered from the apprehended militants show that despite their (militants) subsistence on dry bread their bags are bursting at seams with dollars," said NWFP governor Iftikhar Shah while talking to senior journalists and editors at a luncheon.

The resistance put up by militants during military offensive in the tribal area show that they are in possession of latest weapons and laced with modern communication system, he said.

In reply to a question regarding the deadline set by the government for surrendering of militants, he said, the task was assigned to Grand Jirga, which, he said had had negotiations with the suspected terrorists.

The Jirga, he maintained had submitted its recommendations to the government. One of the recommendations is regarding extension of the deadline. Earlier, Zalikhel tribe handed over some 65 suspects to government and razed about 5 houses but their performance was not that good, he said.

To another question as to what time span government would give to Jirga for accomplishment of the said task, he said the deadline could be extended if mediation brought forward some positive results.

The investigations concerning killing of 14 civilians in South Waziristan during military operation have been completed and the report had been dispatched to the ministry of NWFP and northern areas affairs which (report) would be presented in Senate later, he said while answering a question.

Responding to yet another query, he said investigations with the held suspects was underway, saying the nationalities of the suspected terrorists hiding in the tribal areas had not been established.

Meanwhile, The Pakistan government has warned the tribesmen searching for al-Qaeda suspects and their supporters that their time given to them was not open-ended.

The notice came at a time when thousands of armed tribesmen in semi-autonomous tribal area of South Waziristan continued their search operation on the second day on Monday, says an official statement issued here Monday.

Tribesmen say they have demolished another house of their fellow tribesman accused of harbouring al-Qaeda.

Governor North-West Frontier province, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah who looks after the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan on behalf of the federal government, told journalists future military operations depend on the outcome of the tribal militia's actions.

He said the government was ready to wait for a few more days. He alleged that people refusing to surrender were getting assistance from foreign organizations.

He also said he felt the al-Qaeda suspects might have slipped by now from the area, but refused to say where they might have gone.

Asked about any secret negotiations with the wanted persons, he said different proposals do come up but nothing was concrete so far.

A tribal member of parliament Maulana Abdul Malik had on Sunday night confirmed secret negotiations were on for resolving the issue. However, he too refused to give any more details saying it would be premature.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=62407