Pakistan Security Brief - March 17, 2010

By Brian Wolfe March 17, 2010

Pakistan Security Brief –March 17, 2010

Two drone strikes target Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s group in North Waziristan; Pakistan and Iran sign gas pipeline agreement; Prime Minister Gilani defends decision not to operate against militants in North Waziristan; India claims Pakistan not closing militant training camps; militants target three NATO tankers in separate incidents; militants ambush checkpoint in Khyber; TTP and a local militia clash in Kurram; three members of the MQM-Haqiqi political party shot in Karachi; 38 militants voluntarily surrender in Bajaur; US provides Pakistan with Cobra helicopters.

On Wednesday morning two drones attacked different targets in North Waziristan, killing at least eight suspected militants. During the first attack, drones fired several missiles at two vehicles in Hamzoni, located near Miran Shah in North Waziristan. The second attack occurred 30 minutes after the first strike, targeting another vehicle but this time in Maizar Madda Khel in Datta Khel sub-district, North Wazitistan. Officials say that all of the casualties were associated with the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group.[1]
Pakistan and Iran met in Turkey and signed an agreement on Tuesday to build a natural gas pipeline. According to the deal, the pipeline will connect Iran's South Pars gas field with Pakistan's Balochistan and Sindh provinces, providing Pakistan with 750m cubic feet of gas per day. The pipeline should be operational by 2015.[2]
Despite several recent reports indicating troop movement around North Waziristan, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani again announced that there will be no new operations in North Waziristan. Prime Minister Gilani said the military will focus on holding territory captured in the past year from militants.[3]
Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony said on Wednesday that 42 militant training camps are operating in Pakistan, but Pakistani officials are doing little to shut down the camps. India and Pakistan initiated dialogue last month over contentious issues dividing the two countries, with one such issue being militants operating from Pakistan.[4]
On Tuesday, unknown gunmen opened fire on NATO oil tankers traveling in both Kalat town and Dhadar area, located in Balochistan. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks, which injured three men. The following day, militants placed a bomb under another NATO oil tanker in Parangsum village, located in Khyber Agency. There were no casualties, and officials claim the group Lashkar-e-Islam was behind the blast.[5]
At least 12 militants attacked a checkpoint near Spin Qabar village on Peshawar's border with Khyber's Bara sub-district on Wednesday. Militants fired guns and rockets during the attack, killing five security personnel at the checkpoint.[6]
Militants from Mullah Toofan’s section of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attempted to abduct several members of a peace committee in Kurram Agency in order to hold them for ransom, but a local lashkar repelled the attack. Ten militants and three locals were reported killed due to the fighting on Tuesday.[7]
Three members of the MQM-Haqiqi political party were shot dead in Karachi on Wednesday. The three were riding in a taxi when unknown gunmen opened fire on their cab. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.[8]
38 members of the Taliban in Bajaur Agency voluntarily surrendered to government officials on Tuesday. Commander Khalifa led the group, saying the members pledged never to take up arms against Pakistan again.[9]
A source privately reported on Tuesday that the US provided a fleet of AH-1 Cobra helicopters to Pakistan and pledged to fund $75 million worth of upgrades to current helicopters operated by Pakistan. Pakistani forces used Cobra helicopters in Operation Rah-e-Nijat, and the additional helicopters will provide upgraded firepower in any future operation.[10]

[1] “Drones kill suspected militants in Pakistan,” CNN, March 17, 2010. Available at http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/17/pakistan.drone/index.html?eref=edition_asia&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fedition_asia+%28RSS%3A+Asia%29. “Pakistan is hit by another drone attack,” BBC, March 17, 2010. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8571608.stm. “US drone strikes kill nine militants in North Waziristan,” Dawn, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/19-us-drone-strike-near-miranshah-kills-hh-02.

[2] “Iran and Pakistan sign 'historic' pipeline deal,” BBC, March 17, 2010. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8572267.stm. “IP gas pipeline project: final accord signed,” The News, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=100877. Nasir Jaffry, “Iran, Pakistan sign gas pipeline deal,” AP, March 17, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100317/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistaniranindiaenergygas.

[3] James Lamont and Farhan Bokhari, “Pakistan resists call to squeeze Taliban,” Financial Times, March 16, 2010. Available at http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3dc509da-3120-11df-8e6f-00144feabdc0.html.

[4] “Pakistan refuses to close 42 'terror' camps: India,” Dawn, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/03-pakistan-refuses-to-close-42-terror-camps-says-india-ss-03.

[5] “Two Nato tankers attacked in Balochistan,” Dawn, March 16, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/two+nato+tankers+attacked+in+balochistan. “Militants blow up Nato tanker in Khyber,” Dawn, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-militants-blow-up-nato-tanker-in-khyber-ss-01.

[6] “Pakistan militants target checkpoint,” BBC, March 17, 2010. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8571718.stm. “Five security personnel killed near Peshawar,” Dawn, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/19-attack-on-checkpost-near-bara-tehsil-hh-01.

[7] “Lashkar guns down 10 Taliban in Kurram,” Daily Times, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\17\story_17-3-2010_pg7_15.

[8] “Four MQM-Haqiqi workers shot dead in Karachi,” Dawn, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/03-four-mqm-haqiqi-workers-shot-dead-in-karachi-ss-08.

[9] “38 Taliban surrender in Bajaur,” Daily Times, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\17\story_17-3-2010_pg7_11.

[10] “Pak Army gets fleet of Cobra choppers,” Daily Times, March 17, 2010. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\17\story_17-3-2010_pg7_7.

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