Pakistan Security Brief August 23, 2010

Pakistan has received more than $800 million in flood aid so far; flooding continues to sweep south; Pakistani security officials admit that Afghan Taliban commander Baradar was captured to disrupt peace talks; suicide bomber attacks mosque in South Waziristan; U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan kills six militants.

 

Floods

 

Baradar Arrest

  • In a New York Times report, a Pakistani security official is quoted as saying that the ISI “used” the CIA to help them capture top Taliban commander Abdul Ghani Baradar in order to shut down secret peace negotiations between Baradar and the Afghan government. The statements would confirm months of speculation about Pakistan’s potential ulterior motives regarding Baradar’s arrest, with one Pakistani security official quoted as saying that “we picked up Baradar and the others because they were trying to make a deal without us. We protect the Taliban. They are dependent on us. We are not going to allow them to make a deal with Karzai and the Indians.” A NATO official responded to the reports confirming Pakistan’s intentions, saying that it was “absolutely plausible.”[4]

 

FATA

  • A suicide bombing at a mosque in South Waziristan’s main town of Wana has left at least 20 people dead and more than 40 others wounded. The suspected target of the attack was Maulana Noor Mohammed, an influential cleric and member of the JUI-F who previously acted as a negotiator between the Taliban and the Pakistani government. The bomber struck as Mohammed, who was later confirmed to have been among those killed in the bombing, was greeting people at the mosque following morning prayers.[5]

  • A suspected U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan killed six militants on Saturday. Missiles reportedly struck two vehicles in the village of Anghar Kala near Miramshah. Officials say that foreign militants may have been among those killed.[6]

  • On Saturday, six people were killed and five more wounded when a remote controlled bomb detonated at a checkpoint in Mohmand Agency. Among the dead were one policeman and four members of an anti-Taliban tribal militia who were manning the checkpoint.[7]

  • A bomb blast at a meeting of tribal elders at a school in Kurram Agency has left at least seven people dead. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.[8]

  • Two militants were killed during an exchange of fire between security forces and Taliban fighters in Orakzai Agency on Sunday. The clashes erupted while security forces were conducting search operations in the Utmankhel area of Lower Orakzai. On Friday, one soldier and eight militants were killed during a militant attack on a security forces’ outpost in the Tapo Kalley area. A search operation was subsequently launched in the Mamuzai area of Orakzai and the Chinarek area of Kurram Agency, resulting in the seizure of landmines, rockets, and other ammunition. Shelling from helicopter gunships also destroyed two Taliban hideouts, killing five militants and wounding eight others.[9]

  • The bodies of two men who were shot to death by the Taliban on suspicion of being U.S. spies were discovered in North Waziristan on Saturday. The victims’ bodies, which were dumped in a main bazaar in Razmak division, were accompanied with a note warning that others who spy for America will meet the same fate.[10]

 

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

  • The leader of an anti-Taliban militia and two of his aides were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Peshawar. The explosion occurred as the men were passing through a market in the village of Matni. Several other people were also reported wounded in the attack.[11]

 

Karachi

  • Two people, including the brother of an ANP lawmaker, were been gunned down in the Sachal area of Karachi on Monday. Several shops and offices have also been set on fire as riots and shooting incidents continue to be reported in several areas throughout the city. Three people were also killed in separate shootings in Orangi Town on Saturday, sparking off arson attacks in the area which destroyed two vehicles. On Sunday, police arrested 35 people in Orangi Town following a rally protesting the poor law and order situation in the city.[12]

  • On Friday, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sindh police claim to have arrested two more members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in connection with the murder of top MQM politician Raza Haider. According to CID officials, the suspects were part of a team sent to assassinate Haider and have confessed to being behind several other sectarian killings.[13]

 


[1] Ashraf Khan, “Official: Int’l aid for Pakistan floods over $800M,” AP, August 23, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100822/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_floods. “Paksitan floods: Senior UN figure criticizes response,” BBC, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11054958 “Pakistan govt will be in charge of relief funds, says US,” Dawn, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/pakistan-govt-will-be-in-charge-of-relief-funds%2C-says-us-180. “IMF to review ‘massive challenge’ of flood-hit Pakistan,” BBC, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11049985.
[2] “South Pakistan villagers flee threatened areas,” BBC, August 22, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11051205. M.B. Kalhoro, “‘Last warning’ issued for Shahdadkot,” Dawn, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/last-warning-issued-for-shahdadkot-380. Saleem Shahid, “New torrents lash areas in Balochistan,” Dawn, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/10-bodies-found-new-torrents-lash-areas-in-balochistan-380. “Locals use stones, sandbags to stave off flood ,” Dawn, August 22, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-locals-use-stones-sandbags-to-stave-off-flood-ss-12. Zahid Hussain, “Paksitan Floods Spread as Pledges Top $800 Million,” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2010. Available at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704504204575445100441225006.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_world.
[3] “Nato to provide planes and ships for Pakistan aid,” Dawn, August 20, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/06-nato-to-provide-planes-and-ships-for-pakistan-aid-rs-03. “Pakistan’s humanitarian situation critical – UN,” BBC, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11060119. “WFP says it needs helicopters to take food to millions,” Dawn, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/wfp-says-it-needs-helicopters-to-take-food-to-millions-180.
[4] Dexter Filkins, “Pakistanis Tell of Motive in Taliban Leader’s Arrest,” New York Times, August 22, 2010. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/world/asia/23taliban.html.
[5] S.H. Khan, “Suicide attack kills 20 at Pakistan mosque,” AFP, August 23, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100823/wl_afp/pakistanunrestnorthwest. “Deadly blast at Pakistan mosque,” BBC, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11058545. “Blast kills at least 15 at Pakistan mosque,” Reuters, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67M1QC20100823?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FworldNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+International%29.
[6] Rasool dawar, “Officials: US drones kill 6 in northwest Pakistan,” AP, August 23, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan.
[7] “Blast kills six anti-Taliban fighters in Mohmand,” Dawn, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-mohmand-blast-six-killed-qs-05. Rasool dawar, “Officials: US drones kill 6 in northwest Pakistan,” AP, August 23, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan.
[8] “Blast in Pakistan Kurram’s region kills 7,” Reuters, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67M17W20100823?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FworldNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+International%29. Hussain Afzal, “3 bombs kill 36 in northwest Pakistan,” AFP, August 23, 2010. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_bombing.
[9] “2 militants killed in Orakzai,” Frontier Post, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=1019&ad=23-08-2010. “Eight militants, soldier killed in Orakzai clashes,” Dawn, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/8-militants%2C-soldier-killed-in-clash-180.
[10] “Two alleged spies found dead,” Frontier Post, August 22, 2010. Available at http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=999&ad=22-08-2010.
[12] “Brother of ANP leader shot dead in Karachi,” Dawn, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/08-brother-of-anp-leader-shot-dead-in-karachi-ts-02. Imran Ayub, “Three killed in fresh Karachi violence,” Dawn, August 22, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/04-karachi-target-killing-3-killed-qs-08. “Thirty-Five held for creating trouble in Orangi,” Dawn, August 23, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/35-held-for-creating-trouble-in-orangi-380.
[13] “Two more ‘LJ men’ held in MPA murder case,” Dawn, August 21, 2010. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/two-more-lj-men-held-in-mpa-murder-case-180.
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