1 The Long War Journal: Pakistan carefully advances in South Waziristan
Written by Bill Roggio on October 20, 2009 12:46 AM to 1 The Long War Journal
Available online at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/10/pakistan_carefully_advances_in_south_waziristan.php
The Pakistani Army is slowly marching to the heart of Taliban country in South Waziristan and has surrounded the home town of a dangerous Taliban commander.
The military claimed 78 Taliban fighters and seven soldiers have been killed during the first three days of the operation, while the Taliban claimed 68 soldiers have been killed.
Pakistani soldiers, backed by strike aircraft, attack helicopters, and artillery are advancing on the Taliban strongholds of Makeen and Ladha in the north and Sararogha in the northeast. Troops from Ramzak are advancing on Makeen, soldiers from Wana and Shakai are moving on Ladha, and soldiers from Jandola are pushing toward Sararogha.
More than 28,000 Pakistani troops and 10,000 Taliban fighters backed by thousands of foreign fighters are thought to be facing off in the mountainous region that has long been under the control of the Taliban.
The military has advanced about 10 miles into Taliban territory, the Army's top spokesman said, but did not indicate on which front. Ramzak is less than 10 miles north of Makeen.
The military claims to have taken several villages and has advanced to the outskirts of the town of Kotkai, the home of Qari Hussain Mehsud, the notorious trainer of child suicide bombers.
The Army has taken control of the high grounds around Kotkai, which is north of Jandola, after inserting troops on mountaintops and surrounding terrain. Pakistani troops have focused on Taliban anti-aircraft positions on the mountain peaks.
Heavy fighting was reported in Sherwangi, near Ladha, while the Taliban have been launching rockets at the Army bases in Ramzak and Shakai.
The Taliban are denying the military's claims of success, and claim to have killed 68 soldiers during the fighting while suffering only one Taliban fighter killed. Tariq Azam, the spokesman for the Taliban, said the Taliban have been hitting Pakistani security forces hard with IEDs and ambushes.
Reports cannot be confirmed, as the military has barred all reporters from the region.
Army keeps powerful Taliban commanders on the sidelines
The Pakistani Army ensured it would be able to focus on the South Waziristan branch of Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan after it cut deals with two powerful Taliban commanders in North and South Waziristan.
The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is commanded by Hakeemullah Mehsud, has been behind the recent spate of attacks on security forces throughout the country.
The military has promised to reduce security patrols in the tribal areas run by North Waziristan's Hafiz Gul Bahadar and South Waziristan's Mullah Nazir in exchange for safe passage for security forces, The Associated Press reported.
Both Bahadar and Nazir sponsor al Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban, and Pakistani jihadi groups and host training camps for these Islamist terror groups. Powerful elements within Pakistan's military establishment view Nazir, Bahadar, the Haqqani family, and other groups as "good" Taliban as they do not attack the state but focus their efforts on jihad in Afghanistan.