Pakistan Security Brief –March 24, 2010

Security forces launch operation against militants in Orakzai; US drone strike kills at least five in North Waziristan; Secretary Clinton comments on talks with Pakistan; Indian troops kill two men crossing Line of Control; isolated arrests around Pakistan.

 

Orakzai

  • Pakistani military forces began a fresh push into Orakzai on Tuesday evening to clear out areas held by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Taliban positions surrounding Kalaya, Orakzai’s administrative capital, are a main target of the assault. Paramilitary troops supported by jets, gunships and artillery assaulted Taliban positions and hideouts, and military officials are reporting that twenty-one militants have been killed so far in the Anjani area of Lower Orakzai. According to BBC Urdu, the military has also taken control of Anjari, Zera and Chamjanna areas of Orakzai. It further reports that the military has retaken the areas of Hashmat Khan Kili, Shna Nakah, and Mirobak in its push towards Kalaya. A bunker, an ammunition dump, and a terrorist training center were destroyed in the fighting. TTP forces arrived in Orakzai after they were pushed out of their strongholds in South Waziristan. The military has been preparing for an assault on the TTP’s new redoubt for months. The expectation of an operation in Orakzai had caused close to eighty percent of the local population to flee their homes months ago in search of safety. Click here for a map of Orakzai agency.[1]

North Waziristan

Strategic Dialogue

Kashmir

Around Pakistan



[1] “21 Taliban killed in Pakistan assault: officials,” AFP, March 24, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100324/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistanunrestnorthwest. “Orakzai: militant hideouts bombed [translation],” BBC Urdu, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2010/03/100324_orakzai_operation.shtml. “Eleven Taliban militants killed in Orakzai assault,” Dawn, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-orakzai-15-killed-qs-06.
[2] “Five die in drone attack in north-west Pakistan,” BBC, March 24, 2010. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8584390.stm. “US missile strike kills six in North Waziristan,” Dawn, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/16-drone+strike+kills+four+militants+in+north+waziristan-hs-05.
[3] Sue Pleming, “U.S., Pakistan seek to turn page on caustic ties,” Reuters, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/23/AR2010032302352.html. “US ready to consider Pak request for N-deal: Hillary,” The News, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27946. Karen DeYoung and Karin Brulliard, “In U.S., Pakistan meetings, a chance to move past mutual 'trust deficit',” The Washington Post, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/23/AR2010032304147.html?wprss=rss_world/asia.
[4] “Indian army kills two militants in Kashmir,” Dawn, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/04-india-kashmir-militants-qs-07. “Indian army kills two rebels in Kashmir,” AFP, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h_jvo8xAA4OipQGE1Mz61wLujqfA.
[5] “Two killed in yet another target killing incident,” Dawn, March 23, 2010. Available at http://72.249.57.50/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/03-two-killed-in-yet-another-target-killing-incident-ss-04. “Over 40 suspects arrested in Rawalpindi,” Geo, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.geo.tv/3-24-2010/61658.htm. “Suspected terrorist arrested in Peshawar,” Geo, March 24, 2010. Available at http://www.geo.tv/3-24-2010/61677.htm.
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