Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief - October 5, 2009

A suicide bomb struck a UN office in Islamabad on Monday killing four people; Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, along with deputies Wali-ur Rehman and Qari Hussain, met with reporters over the weekend following reports that he had been recently killed; security forces continued clearance operations in the Swat valley, killing nine militants on Sunday; Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam commander Rehman offered to act as a mediator between the Pakistani government and militants in FATA. �

• A suicide bomb killed four at the United Nations World Food Program office in Islamabad on Monday.� Preliminary reports show that of the four killed in the blast one was Iraqi and the others were Pakistani.� Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, many believe that it was carried about by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in retaliation for Beitullah Mehsud's death in August.� The UN offices in Islamabad have been closed temporarily for security reasons.[1]
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• TTP-chief Hakimullah Mehsud met with reporters on Sunday to dispel persistent rumors claiming he was dead.� Mehsud again stated that he would avenge the death of his predecessor Beitullah Mehsud.� This was his first in-person interview since he assumed command over the TTP in August.� In a show of unity TTP senior deputies Qari Waliur Rehman and Qari Hussain were also present at the meeting.[2]
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• Nine militants were killed in Swat during operations carried out by security forces on Sunday.� Although the major offensive in Swat is complete, these militants were killed during "search and clearance operations" in Swat Valley.� Many others surrendered to security forces over the weekend.[3]
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• Maulana Fazular Rehman, the commander of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), has offered to act as a mediator between Islamabad and the militants in FATA in order to "avert another crisis."� This comes at a time when the security forces have reportedly prepared to launch a new front into South Waziristan Agency.[4]�