RED MOSQUE SITREP AND EAC -- JULY 10, 11:00 LOCAL

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002990 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/SCA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV PK SUBJECT: RED MOSQUE SITREP AND EAC -- JULY 10, 11:00 LOCAL REF: ISLAMABAD 2976 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Overnight on July 9, the Pakistani government escalated its operation against the Red Mosque. A high-level delegation tried to negotiate with militant leader Maulana Ghazi on July 9. The negotiations failed and the military operation resumed at 04:00 July 10. As of 11:00 local, fighting between the security forces and the militants continues. The strict curfew in Islamabad's G-6 sector surrounding the Red Mosque is still in effect. Post convened an Emergency Action Committee to review the current security situation and consurred with the current post security posture that restricts all personnel from the G-6 sector of Islamabad. All Mission staff are safe and accounted for. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) On the evening of July 9, ruling Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain led a high-level delegation of religious leaders, politicians, and humanitarians in an effort to negotiate with the Red Mosque militants. The delegation pressed Maulana Ghazi to release the innocent women and children inside the mosque. They offered him various means of surrender, including guaranteeing him house arrest. The negotiators were not able to enter the Red Mosque because of security concerns, and carried out negotiations via cell phones and megaphones outside the mosque. The militants refused to surrender and the negotiations broke down in the middle of the night. ¶3. (SBU) After a final ultimatum to surrender, security forces launched a renewed attack against the Red Mosque at 04:00 local time. As a result of the offensive, 60 percent of the Red Mosque compound was secure as of 11:00 local, according to a military spokesman. Twenty children escaped from the mosque compound during the operation. Over 50 militants have been reported killed and many more injured in the July 10 offensive. Four members of the security forces have also been killed. Militants have used rocket launchers and small weapons against the security forces. ¶4. (SBU) Post convened an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) morning of July 10 to review the security situation. The government's strict curfew in the area around the Red Mosque (G-6) remained in effect on July 10. The EAC concurred with the current post security posture that restricts all personnel from G-6 sector. All Mission personnel are safe and have been accounted for. The Embassy is fully operational and businesses in the capital are operating normally. PATTERSON