Pakistan Security Brief - February 4, 2010

By Nicholas Patella February 04, 2010

Pakistan Security Brief – February 4, 2010

Police arrest 35 suspects in lower Dir bombing; military continues Bajaur offensive; two militants arrested in Nowshera; more speculation about Hakimullah Mehsud’s death; checkpoint in Mohmand attacked by militants; more details uncovered about Tuesday’s drone strikes in North Waziristan; US court finds Pakistani woman guilty of attempting to kill US troops; Rangers’ authority expanded to include all of Karachi.

Local police and Frontier Corps have arrested 35 suspects as part of the investigation into Wednesday’s bombing in lower Dir district that killed 8 people, including three US soldiers, and injured more than 100 others.[1]
Military officials stated that a least 13 militants have been killed in operations in Mamund sub-district in addition to the 18 reported killed on Wednesday as the military continues its offensive in Bajaur Agency. Security forces have also said that they are now in full control of Damadola and have killed several top militant commanders.[2]
Police in Nowshera district have arrested two suspected militants while searching a passenger bus on its way to Rawalpindi. Authorities believe the two men, both Afghan nationals, were travelling to the city in order to carry out terrorist attacks.[3]
A senior US intelligence official made a statement Wednesday that he is confident Hakimullah Mehsu is dead, citing the “best collective information of US intelligence agencies”. However, a senior government official in Pakistan indicated that both Mehsud and Qari Hussain, a top TTP deputy, may still be alive.[4]
On Wednesday, militants fired rockets and light weapons at a security checkpoint in the Dojangi area of Mohmand agency. Security forces returned fire, causing the militants to flee. No injuries were reported.[5]
The number of militants killed in Tuesday’s series of US drone strikes in North Waziristan has now risen to 31, but it does not appear that any senior commanders are among the dead. Both the Taliban and government officials have denied a rumor that Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani was killed in the attacks.[6]
A federal court in New York has found a Pakistani woman, Aafia Saddiqui, guilty of attempting to kill US troops while in custody in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government has expressed its disappointment with the verdict and has said that it will continue to defend Saddiqui in the appeals process.[7]
The jurisdiction of the Rangers initially authorized to operate in Karachi on Tuesday has now been expanded to include the entire city for a period of one month. In addition, continuing violence in Karachi claimed the lives of two more people on Wednesday.[8]

[1] Ismail Khan, “Pakistan Arrests 35 in U.S. Soldiers’ Deaths,” New York Times, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/asia/05arrests.html?ref=asiahttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/asia/05arrests.html?ref=asia.

[2] “Thirteen militants killed in Bajaur offensive,” Dawn, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-thirteen-militants-killed-in-bajaur-offensive-ss-05. Anwarullah Khan, “Security forces advance on Damadola,” Dawn, February 3, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-militants-stage-comeback-in-bajaur-region-ss-02. “Damadola under troops’ control, 12 terrorists killed in Bajaur,” Daily Times, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\04\story_4-2-2010_pg7_3

[3] “Two ‘militants’ arrested,” The News, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=222337.

[4] Matt Apuzzo, “Intelligence official: US believes Mehsud is dead,” AP, February 4, 2010. Available at http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TALIBAN_LEADER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-02-04-07-21-20. “Hakeemullah may have survived drone attack: Official,” Dawn, February 3, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/06-hakeemullah-may-have-survived-drone-attack-official-rs-02.

[5] “Militants attack checkpoint in Mohmand,” The News, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=222338.

[6] Mushtaq Yusufzai, “Drone attack death toll reaches 31,” The News, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=222339.

[7] C.J. Hughes, “Pakistani Scientist Found Guilty of Shootings,” New York Times, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/nyregion/04siddiqui.html?ref=asia. “Pakistan dismayed at Aafia’s verdict,” Dawn, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/08-pakistan-dismayed-at-aafia-s-verdict-ts-01.

[8] “Jurisdiction of Rangers extended to entire Karachi,” Dawn, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/16--jurisdiction-of-rangers-extended-to-entire-city-hs-04. Salis bin Purwaiz, “Rangers given charge of Karachi,” The News, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=222373. “Two shot dead,” The News, February 4, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=222383.

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