Pakistan Security Brief - October 23, 2009

The Pakistani military operation in South Waziristan continues into its seventh day; two top Punjabi Taliban commanders are arrested by Pakistani law enforcement; two bomb attacks in Peshawar and at the Pakistani Aeronautical Complex in Kamra kill seven; several members of a wedding party die after their bus is struck by an anti-tank mine in Mohmand Agency.

• Thirteen militants were killed by Pakistani forces in the seventh day of Rah-e-Nijat (Path to Deliverence) in the last twenty-four hours.  Two other soldiers have been reported as dead by the Pakistani army in today’s ISPR press release.  The report also details gains by the military on the three major axes.  The military continues to battle the militants over the strategic and symbolic town of Kotkai (read more on the South Waziristan operation).[1]
   
• Two high ranking Punjabi Taliban commanders were arrested by security agencies this week.  The two individuals, Iqbal and Gul Muhammad, are believed to have “masterminded the 10/10 attack on Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) and other high-profile strikes in Lahore.”  They were also members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Shura and leaders of the Taliban militants in Punjab.[2]
   
• A suicide bomber on a bicycle killed seven at a checkpoint at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra. Two among the dead are believed to be Pakistani Air Force members.  Some experts believe that the PAC is a possible place to store aircraft that can deploy nuclear warheads.  No one has claimed responsibility for this attack but authorities are speculating that the TTP was involved.[3]  
   
• A possible car bomb was detonated in Hayatabad, an affluent suburb of Peshawar, at a popular restaurant.  Thirteen are believed to be injured and two suspects were apprehended by local authorities near the blast.[4]
   
• A third possible attack occurred on Friday on a wedding bus in Mohmand.  Fifteen were killed when the minibus of wedding-goers struck an anti-tank mine on a road frequently traveled by Pakistani government forces.  Most of the dead are believed to be women and children.[5]