South Waziristan, 330 km southwest of the capital Islamabad, has been the scene of fierce clashes between security forces and Al-Qaeda-linked militants in recent months.
Hundreds of people, including guerrillas, their tribal allies, civilians and troops have been killed in two major army offensives this year. There are hundreds of foreign militants, some with links to the Al-Qaeda network, hiding in the tribal areas, including Chechens, Arabs and Uzbeks. They enjoy widespread support of local tribesmen, many of whom collectively fought against the Soviets in the neighboring Afghanistan.
US officials believe Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden and other senior figures in the network are most likely to be hiding in Pakistan.
The semi-autonomous and independent tribal belt of South Waziristan in Pakistan is home to 600,000 lawless Pushtoon tribesmen who supported the Afghan Taleban and practice centuries-old tribal traditions handed down from the colonial era.
In the Wana operation, Islamabad, in an unprecedented development, has been able to deploy thousands of military and paramilitary troops in South Waziristan, sending a strong signal to “foreign terrorists” and their local hosts that they are not safe in the country and could face similar operations in the future as witnessed in the last few months.
After a few pitched battles between Pakistani security forces and Al-Qaeda guerrillas and their tribal supporters, Islamabad’s diary on fighting terrorism has opened a new chapter about the tough lessons learned during the latest military operation in South Waziristan. However Abdullah Mehsud, the most wanted tribal militant in South Waziristan Agency, claimed he had reached an agreement with the government but the Nov. 8 operation involving around 8,000 troops washed it away.
The one-legged militant Abdullah, whose real name is Noor Alam grew up in Abbottabad in an educated family, appeared from weeks-long disappearance after the army rescued the two Chinese engineers on Oct. 15 killing all five captors while one Chinese died of his wounds later. His contact with foreign media was the first since the army captured a number of areas, busting militants’ bases and training camps and reducing the number of foreign terrorists to around 100 from around 500 early this year. Agreement was reached the day the latest military offensive was launched in northeastern Waziristan.
Abdullah said a military officer whom he identified as “Col. Yaqoob” arranged a meeting with Peshawar Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Safdar Hussain in Jandola on Nov. 8 where the agreement was made. But Gen. Hussain told journalists that no such thing had happened, he had not met the militant. “I am a man who does not hide anything,” he said.
Analysts wonder how it could be possible that the meeting happened on the day when the troops moved into some of the strongholds of the militant, including his hometown Nanu.
Abdullah said key points of the agreement included a cease-fire, no attack on security forces by militants and army assurance not to advance. “The army has breached the agreement, so I am no longer bound by it either,” he said. He added that the operation was aimed at “appeasing American rulers.”
Abdullah warned, “The army can capture the whole of Waziristan but it will not be easy to get out.”
Pakistani troops have been battling several hundred Al-Qaeda-linked militants, both foreigners and their Pakistani allies, in the mountains of South Waziristan since March.
However, the most wanted figure, Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, remains elusive.
US officials say he and other senior Al- Qaeda figures could be hiding in Pakistan’s borderlands but Pakistani officials disagree.
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