Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief – July 2, 2009

A suicide bomber targeted a bus full of Pakistani government employees in Rawalpindi; the Pakistani army has reportedly ruled out expanding operations into North Waziristan; the Pakistani army claims to have killed militants belong to the Lashkar-e Islam group in the Khyber region; Pakistani troops reportedly are reportedly positioned on the western border as U.S. and Afghan forces commence operations in Helmand province on the Afghan side of the border.  

• A suicide bomb attack on Thursday in the army garrison city of Rawalpindi reportedly killed at least one person and injured more than two dozen others. The attacked targeted a bus that was carrying government employees and owned by a weapons manufacturing company in Pakistan; no responsibility has been claimed.[1]
   
• The Pakistani military claimed that helicopter gunship attacks on Thursday killed more than two dozen militants reportedly belonging to the extremist Lashkar-e-Islam group.[2]
   
• The Pakistan army has reportedly positioned additional troops along part of its western border in anticipation of a freshly launched offensive on Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. A Pakistani army spokesman said that this “reorganization” had started “months ago.” Both the US and Pakistani militaries have raised concerns that the offensive across the border could force militants to flee back across the border into Pakistan.[3]
   
• The Pakistan army on Wednesday appeared to have ruled out expanding its operation to North Waziristan Agency, vowing to abide by a 2008 peace agreement with Hafiz Gul Bahadur. The army dropped leaflets stating that “it had no intention of launching action in their militancy-stricken region.” Air strikes targeted Madakhel, Gul Bahadur’s own village, at the site of last weekend’s militant ambush on a convoy of army soldiers.[4]
   
• Military spokesmen and local eyewitnesses said on Wednesday that the army captured the last Taliban stronghold in the Swat valley after securing Shah Dheri.[5]
   
• On Wednesday, security forces deployed to Kurram agency as tribal groups engaged in clashes agreed to a truce following two weeks of fighting. The Toori tribesman claim to have raised their militia in order to combat the growing influx of Taliban fighters fleeing the military from other agencies.[6]