Pakistan Security Brief – January 29, 2010
Pakistan wants to help mediate an Afghan peace deal; differences causing rifts between militant groups in Bajaur; security forces kill 21 militants in Bajaur; US aid program in the NWFP achieved little; Pakistan’s Interior Minister announced Karachi under control; NATO oil tanker bombed in Khyber.
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Leaders from 60 countries met in London on Thursday to discuss ways of preventing instability in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials, usually on unfriendly terms with their Afghan counterparts, spoke out at the meeting and now wish to mediate possible talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.[1]
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Two different militant factions are emerging in Bajaur Agency due to differences between the larger Taliban movement in the area. Local Taliban chief Maulana Faqir Mohammad, deputy chief of the TTP and a former close associate to Baitullah Mehsud, has reportedly been forced to resign his position. The Taliban shura in the region appointed Maulana Jamal, known as Maulvi Dadullah, as the new chief.[2]
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Pakistani forces killed 21 militants during operations in Bajaur on Friday, bringing the number killed throughout the past three days to 44. Fighting began in the Agency Wednesday when Pakistani troops started helping tribal elders evict Taliban from the area.[3]
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A US government audit concluded that an aid program designed to strengthen the NWFP government and decrease the Taliban and al-Qaida influence in the region achieved little. The program began two years ago and had $46 million in funds.[4]
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Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced on Thursday that Karachi is now under control. He said the major political parties are cooperating and security forces are making preemptive strikes against people suspected of plotting attacks. Referring to the December 28 Ashura blast in Karachi, Minister Malik also said the TTP backed a new terrorist group that caused the destruction following the attack.[5]
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A NATO oil tanker traveling on the Pak-Afghan highway was completely destroyed by a bomb in the Ali Masjid area of Khyber Agency. According to sources there were no casualties.[6]