Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD3796
2007-08-30 13:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN'S CONTINUING MILITANCY
how-toVZCZCXRO4430 PP RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #3796 2421308 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 301308Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1422 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2214 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7474 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1661 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7209 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3289 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 1727 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2890 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003796
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV PK
SUBJECT: SOUTH WAZIRISTAN'S CONTINUING MILITANCY
REF: PESHAWAR 347
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003796
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV PK
SUBJECT: SOUTH WAZIRISTAN'S CONTINUING MILITANCY
REF: PESHAWAR 347
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: Concurrent with the much-publicized
breakdown of the North Waziristan Agreement, the GOP's
agreement in South Waziristan has also been faltering. The
result has been increasingly brazen militant attacks on
security forces, including the recent kidnapping of 19
Frontier Corps (FC) personnel. The conciliatory nature of
the jirga assembled to negotiate for their release, the
beheading of one captive, and the fact it took over two weeks
to reach a deal is not a good omen for GOP control of South
Waziristan. End Summary.
2. (C) On August 28, a group of approximately 19 FC
personnel and other local officials were released after being
held since early August by militants in South Waziristan.
(Note: Sixteen were kidnapped on August 9, and the others
were kidnapped on August 25. End Note.) News of the
release, however, coincided with humiliating photos in all
major Pakistani newspapers of the kidnapped soldiers seated
while masked gunmen stood over them. The still photos were
taken from a gruesome video recently released by the
kidnappers that captured the beheading of one of the FC
soldiers on August 14.
3. (C) A "peace committee" of prominent tribal and religious
leaders from the area and led by parliamentarians Maulana
Merajuddin and Maulana Saleh Shah secured the group's
release. While the parliamentarians announced that the
release was unconditional, local observers speculate that the
GOP will quietly release ten militants whose freedom had been
demanded by militant leader Baitullah Mehsud. The government
has also reportedly agreed to uphold the 2005 peace agreement
with the militants that stipulated no army checkpoints in
South Waziristan and essentially gave local militants the
responsibility for "maintaining law and order" in the eastern
(Mehsud) areas of South Waziristan.
4. (C) Comment: The prolonged capture of GOP security
personnel is emblematic of how little control the military
has in South Waziristan. Most tribal observers see the
conciliatory nature of the jirga and the GOP's concessions as
a victory for the Mehsud militants and the humiliating photos
as a propaganda coup. Both parliamentarians Maulana
Merajuddin and Maulana Saleh Shah are widely reputed to have
sympathies with the militants, thus many of the other jirga
members expressed disgust with the process. By Pashtun
tradition, the gruesome beheading of one of the FC men and
humiliating treatment of the security personnel demanded a
strong response from the government. The weak response will
likely embolden them to continue attacking government forces
in the tribal areas and adjacent settled districts of the
Northwest Frontier Province. End Comment.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV PK
SUBJECT: SOUTH WAZIRISTAN'S CONTINUING MILITANCY
REF: PESHAWAR 347
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: Concurrent with the much-publicized
breakdown of the North Waziristan Agreement, the GOP's
agreement in South Waziristan has also been faltering. The
result has been increasingly brazen militant attacks on
security forces, including the recent kidnapping of 19
Frontier Corps (FC) personnel. The conciliatory nature of
the jirga assembled to negotiate for their release, the
beheading of one captive, and the fact it took over two weeks
to reach a deal is not a good omen for GOP control of South
Waziristan. End Summary.
2. (C) On August 28, a group of approximately 19 FC
personnel and other local officials were released after being
held since early August by militants in South Waziristan.
(Note: Sixteen were kidnapped on August 9, and the others
were kidnapped on August 25. End Note.) News of the
release, however, coincided with humiliating photos in all
major Pakistani newspapers of the kidnapped soldiers seated
while masked gunmen stood over them. The still photos were
taken from a gruesome video recently released by the
kidnappers that captured the beheading of one of the FC
soldiers on August 14.
3. (C) A "peace committee" of prominent tribal and religious
leaders from the area and led by parliamentarians Maulana
Merajuddin and Maulana Saleh Shah secured the group's
release. While the parliamentarians announced that the
release was unconditional, local observers speculate that the
GOP will quietly release ten militants whose freedom had been
demanded by militant leader Baitullah Mehsud. The government
has also reportedly agreed to uphold the 2005 peace agreement
with the militants that stipulated no army checkpoints in
South Waziristan and essentially gave local militants the
responsibility for "maintaining law and order" in the eastern
(Mehsud) areas of South Waziristan.
4. (C) Comment: The prolonged capture of GOP security
personnel is emblematic of how little control the military
has in South Waziristan. Most tribal observers see the
conciliatory nature of the jirga and the GOP's concessions as
a victory for the Mehsud militants and the humiliating photos
as a propaganda coup. Both parliamentarians Maulana
Merajuddin and Maulana Saleh Shah are widely reputed to have
sympathies with the militants, thus many of the other jirga
members expressed disgust with the process. By Pashtun
tradition, the gruesome beheading of one of the FC men and
humiliating treatment of the security personnel demanded a
strong response from the government. The weak response will
likely embolden them to continue attacking government forces
in the tribal areas and adjacent settled districts of the
Northwest Frontier Province. End Comment.
PATTERSON