ISAF AND PAKISTAN MILITARY AGREE TO BEGIN PLANNING

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002839 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA NSC FOR WOOD OSD FOR WILKES CENTCOM FOR CG CSTC-A, CG CJTF-101 POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2013 TAGS: MOPS PREL PGOV AF PK PTER SUBJECT: ISAF AND PAKISTAN MILITARY AGREE TO BEGIN PLANNING FOR COORDINATED BORDER OPERATIONS REF: KABUL 02601 Classified By: Special Advisor, TF Duke, RC-E, Jeremy Brenner for reaso n 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary: At a Border Security Subcommittee Meeting (BSSM) on October 18, Pakistani Army and Frontier Corps, ISAF, Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan Border Police (ABP) commanders agreed to begin planning coordinated offensive operations designed to deny safe haven to insurgents on either side of the border. Pakistani military operations inside the Bajaur Agency will continue, with the current focus on internal stability operations to shift toward border management at the end of November. Pakistani officers estimate that as many as 950 insurgent reinforcements have entered Pakistan since the operations began. End summary. -------------- FATA Operations -------------- ¶2. (C) The 38th meeting of the BSSM was held at the Khyber Border Coordination Center on October 18. The BSSM brings together Flag-rank officers from the Pakistani military and Frontier Corps with counterparts from ISAF and the Afghan Army and Border Police to discuss border issues of common interest. This meeting began with a pull-aside session between Brigadier General (BG) Milley, CJTF 101 Deputy Commanding General for Operations and Pakistani General Tariq, 11th Corps Commander. BG Milley conveyed the desire expressed by COMISAF General McKiernan for the conduct of mutually supportive military operations on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. General Tariq explained that the Pakistani military operations in the Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administer Tribal Area (FATA) began this August when the government concluded that national integrity was threatened by the activities of militants who had integrated into the population in remote safe havens and had established hardened military defenses. -------------- Maintaining Internal Stability -------------- ¶3. (C) General Tariq said that Pakistani forces were conducting two related campaigns. One is focused on establishing internal stability and maintaining open lines of communication with neighboring Agencies through hostile 
territory. The other "fight" centers on border management, however, the current focus is on internal stability. According to Tariq, once the local population recognizes that the military is conducting serious operations aimed at eliminating the militant presence, tribes organize themselves under the tradition of "Lashkar" to raise a force of armed men to drive the militants from their territory. The Lashkars clear only their own territory, although Tariq said that the success of one tribe inspires neighboring tribes to act as well. -------------- Coordinated Border Operations -------------- ¶4. (S) General Tariq said that the internal stability operations would end by the end of November, and the force posture would shift to the border. Tariq asked for assistance now from ISAF in controlling the border. The General said that the Frontier Corps operations, coupled with effective support from tribal Lashkars had driven the militants out of many areas. He told BG Milley that as many as 950 fighters had returned to Pakistan from Afghanistan and were reinforcing the militants inside Bajaur Agency. The number of fighters inside Bajaur was estimated at 2000 at the beginning of the campaign. Pakistani forces claim to have killed 1000, yet the insurgent strength has been restored to initial levels. The General insisted KABUL 00002839 002 OF 002 (without a hint of irony) that if the logistics trail and flow of fighters into Pakistan were cut-off, the militants would be "finished within a week or 10 days." -------------- Hammer and Anvil -------------- ¶5. (S) Tariq said that insurgent leader Faqir Mohammed and militant spokesman Maulvi Omar have made overtures to the Pakistanis, which were rejected. According to Tariq, Pakistani forces face 2000 fighters belonging to as many as 121 disparate groups connected to the Taliban, HiG, and Al Qaeda. He asked that ISAF forces provide a "blocking force" on the Afghan side of the border, primarily along the eastern side of the Kunar river, to prevent the influx of fighters or equipment into Pakistan. Colonel Spiszer, Commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division that constitutes TF Duke, said that there are currently few friendly forces east of the Kunar river, with most of his forces engaged in the populated valleys. BG Milley pointed out that ISAF military operations along the Pakistan border require close coordination due to recent incidents in which there were exchanges of fire between ISAF and Pakistani forces. He noted a significant increase in Opposing Militant Force activity in the last 45 days and agreed that coordinated operations would yield positive results. Staff-level operations officers began to draft a concept of operations for such coordinated offensive operations, and BG Milley proposed that a date be set for detailed planning at CJTF 101 Headquarters in Bagram. BG Milley was invited to the Frontier Corps HQ in Peshawar to conduct detailed coordination. ¶6. (S) With the impending arrival of additional forces, TF Duke expects to be able to position forces east of the Kunar river as soon as January. In the meantime, the Pakistani officers called for improved communication and coordination, especially in the sharing of intelligence. They insisted that if given the necessary information, they would immediately go after the "common enemy." ¶7. (C) In contrast to a number of Border Flag Meetings, the tone of this BSSM was positive and without rancor. The Pakistani officers made it clear that their instructions were coming from the "very top," and the "common enemy" theme was prevalent throughout. WOOD