Pakistan Targets Militant(TERRORIST) Base Near Afghan Border(ROUND II)

WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces backed by helicopter gunships launched a fresh assault on al Qaeda-linked militants on Thursday in rugged mountains bordering Afghanistan, witnesses and officials said. Dozens of transport and gunship helicopters headed toward the mountains near Angor Adda, 60 km (38 miles) west of South Waziristan's main town of Wana, to hunt foreign militants and their local supporters, they said.

"It is the continuation of the operation which started last week in response to the attack on our security forces," military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan told Reuters in Islamabad.

"Wherever we find a hideout or base of militants we will knock it out," he said, declining to give further details.

But witnesses in Angor Adda said they heard helicopters fire rockets at suspected militant hideouts.

Since early Thursday morning, many helicopters had been seen flying in the direction of Angor Adda, residents in Wana added.

Pakistan's military ended a five-day crackdown on militants on Sunday in the Shakai area, 17 km (11 miles) west of Wana and some 400 km (250 miles) southwest of the capital Islamabad.

More than 55 militants, most of them foreigners, and 17 security personnel were killed in fierce clashes, and at least 10 militants were arrested.

In a separate incident, militants fired three rockets at a Pakistani security post around 40 km (25 miles) north of Wana in a pre-dawn raid, but there were no reports of casualties, witnesses said.

Pakistan says that up to 600 foreign militants, including Arabs, Chechens and Uzbeks linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, have been hiding out in tribal areas protected by Pakistani tribesmen.

In neighboring Afghanistan, the U.S. military leads about 20,000 soldiers in a hunt for al Qaeda and Taliban militants believed to be hiding near the Pakistan border.

The Americans want to create a "hammer and anvil" effect along the border to crush insurgents blamed for escalating violence in Afghanistan ahead of elections in September.

• “Dozens of transport and gunship helicopters headed toward the mountains near Angor Adda, 60 km (38 miles) west of South Waziristan's main town of Wana...”

• “Pakistan's military ended a five-day crackdown on militants on Sunday in the Shakai area, 17 km (11 miles) west of Wana...”

IF WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE WANA CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT...
You can't understand what this battle is about, until you understand the tactics that are dictated by the rugged terrain and that requires a short tour of the battle area. Get your helmet, vest and sidearm and let's roll.

First off, ignore the mileage and directions quoted from the above article. Those city slicker reporters couldn't find their own butt with both hands.

The place name "Shakai", from the thread article is the small village of Shakki Khassadar Post (meaning Shakki Police Post, or simply Shakki, for short). It is located 18 km (11 mi) NNE, 026º from Wana, the principal town of the South Waziristan Tribal Agency. Shakki is not shown on any map because of its small size, but the location can be identified on the maps below.

The first map below shows Wana approximately in the center. Shakki is located along the road leaving Wana to the NNE, just before the first crook to the right in that road. Notice north-west of that point, the arc of mountains surrounding that area.

Wana can be found on the next map below approximately in the center (very small print). Shakki is located at the intersection of the two roads about 18 km NNE of Wana (see scale at the bottom of the map) and just below the town of Chalweshti. Notice the road leaving that intersection to the north-west, and how that road follows a river into the mountains seen in the first map. That is what is being referred to as "Shakki Valley".

SITREP:
On the map above, locate the tiny village of Shkin, on the Afghani border, due west of Shakki and 37 km (23 mi) NW (311º) from Wana. Just a mile or two East of that, over the border into Pakistan, (but not shown on the map) is the small sister village of Angor Adda (Angorada). Shkin has been a very hot LZ ever since 2001, with a strong U.S. presence. The reason Shkin is such a hot LZ is that the road from Shkin to Shakki (via Angorada and the Shakki Valley) is a major terrorist infiltration/exfiltration route. The Shakki valley would make an deal spot for the terrorists to control that route and to ambush and trap any Paki troops foolish enough to venture into it. Moreover, since Shakki is along the major north-south road route traversing South Waziristan, whoever controls Shakki, can effectively control the entire tribal area.

The way you capture such a dangerous road is simply: Start from both ends! The Pakis started working their way up the road from Shakki, into the "valley of death", a couple of weeks back, while other Paki troops began from the Angorada end, as reported in this story.

This battle appears to indicate a change in strategy for the Pakis, who have previously been placing the burden on the local tribes to clean up their own backyard (South waziristan). Now the Pakis appear to be saying to hell with tribal cooperation, we'll just plug off the infiltration routes to the border, QED.

The next map below gives a better topographic view of the terrain around Wana, Shakki and Shkin. Notice the Shakki Valley to the West of the intersection where Shakki is located. Although the road to Shkin is not shown, it should be clear from the terrain, just where it is and just why that road has "ambush" written all over it. Also notice an alternative route from Shkin to Wana, not shown on any of the above maps. This is another terrorist infiltration route that will be cut off by blockading the choke point at Angorada/Shkin.

The last map below is simply to orient you to where Shakki, Wana and South Waziristan fit into the bigger picture. Locate Zhob on the western border with Afghanistan. Now locate Zhob in the bottom-center of the first map on this post.

OK, take a break. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

--Boot Hill

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