Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PESHAWAR381
2008-07-01 03:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Peshawar
Cable title:  

FRONTIER CORPS COMMANDER ON JUNE 10 MOHMAND INCIDENT,

Tags:  PTER MOPS PGOV PINR PK AF 
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O 010305Z JUL 08
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C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000381 


E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/1/2018
TAGS: PTER MOPS PGOV PINR PK AF
SUBJECT: FRONTIER CORPS COMMANDER ON JUNE 10 MOHMAND INCIDENT,
CURRENT CHALLENGES

REF: PESHAWAR 359


CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne M. Tracy, Principal Officer, Consulate
Peshawar, State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000381


E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/1/2018
TAGS: PTER MOPS PGOV PINR PK AF
SUBJECT: FRONTIER CORPS COMMANDER ON JUNE 10 MOHMAND INCIDENT,
CURRENT CHALLENGES

REF: PESHAWAR 359


CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne M. Tracy, Principal Officer, Consulate
Peshawar, State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, Major General
Alam Khattak told the Counselor of the Department of State, Dr.
Eliot Cohen and Peshawar PO on June 26 that the morale of his
troops had been badly shaken in the wake of the June 10 incident
on the Mohmand Agency/Afghanistan border that left 11 of his
troops dead. He requested that the United States assist the
families of the dead and noted that his troops remain woefully
under-equipped. He described the Frontier Corps' struggle to
keep up with evolving militant tactics and was frustrated by his
failure to win public support through the media. Two weeks
after the June 10 incident, Khattak was serious and cordial but
visibly emotional and genuinely questioned whether the strike
was intentional. Counselor noted the importance of the joint
investigation taking place and the need to improve cooperation.
Khattak agreed but declared that rebuilding trust will be
required first. End Summary.

Khattak on the June 10 Mohmand Incident
--------------


2. (C) Inspector General of the Frontier Corps (IGFC) Major
General Alam Khattak told Counselor and Peshawar PO on June 26
that the June 10 Mohmand Incident (reftel) had shaken the morale
of his troops. He cited a running tally of 316 troops killed in
action, and over 600 wounded as evidence of the Frontier Corps'
commitment to the war on terror. Khattak said that it is "hard
to explain our strategy to the families of these men" in the
wake of the June 10 attack. He said that it will take time to
"reestablish trust" between the United States and GOP security
forces.


3. (C) Khattak offered a similar version of the events on June
10 as provided by Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) Governor
Ghani to Ambassador (reftel). According to Khattak, Afghan
National Army (ANA)/NATO forces were discussing the
establishment of a border post and had later fallen back inside
Afghanistan. Khattak was later informed that the ANA/NATO
forces had been ambushed within Afghanistan while Frontier Corps

troops were engaged nearby with militants in a separate
incident. The IGFC pointedly asked why his post was bombed "so
far back from the border; we take that this was done on purpose."


4. (C) Referring to the traditional black shalwar kamis uniform
of the Frontier Corps, Khattak conceded that "everyone in the
tribal areas can look like one of us." He requested, however,
that the USG should "do something for the families of these
men." The IGFC stated that doing so would be a welcome and
important gesture. Counselor emphasized the need for joint
postings with U.S. and Frontier Corps troops, such as at Border
Coordination Centers, as an important tool for helping soldiers
bond as well as for tactical coordination. Responding to a
query by Counselor regarding the lack of Pakistani participation
at Border Coordination Centers, Khattak stated that "he had
raised the issue with senior military officials."

Keeping Up With Evolving Militant Tactics
--------------


5. (C) Khattak said that the Frontier Corps' operations had
"become reactive because the Taliban [and local militants] have
the initiative." "Fighting them is like chasing a moving
shadow," he said. He characterized the militants as "well
integrated" and claimed that the thread of al-Qai'da "runs
through everything," particularly in the south where Mullah
Omar's influence was concentrated. Militants, he said, "have
gone from using improvised explosive devices, to suicide bombers
and, now they are threatening our cities." Khattak stated the
militants "come out with a new tactic every six months."
Khattak said that the Frontier Corps needed to evolve and adapt
as well.


6. (C) "This is an infantry war," he said, and the United States
needs to increase its troop presence on the Durand Line in order
to stop cross-border attacks. He said that the Frontier Corps
had 10 border posts for every one ANA post on the border.
Khattak believed that having sufficient numbers of troops on
either side of the border would simplify a commander's task to
"defending his territory." He said that a lack of troops has
led both sides to blame the other. The IGFC admitted, however,
that increased troop presence would not be able to stop
cross-border movements altogether. Referring to a number of
tribes that straddle the Durand Line, he asked "how can you stop
the movement of a river with a stick?" Instead, the IGFC
reasoned, coalition and Pakistani forces must work together to
regulate the flow of cross-border travelers (he did not offer
specifics on how this could be accomplished).


7. (C) Khattak said that his efforts had been further frustrated
by equipment shortages. He said only 8 percent of his men had
personal protective gear and only one third of the Frontier
Corps' 12 new wings have their basic equipment. He described
the U.S. assistance program as a "trickle effect" and criticized
the Warsak Training Center as occupying a "lower" position on
the Frontier Corps' list of priorities. Increased ground
mobility, additional weaponry, communications equipment,
improved medical services and personal protective equipment were
of greater urgency, he said, to carry out properly his mandate.
He acknowledged with gratitude past INL assistance.

Frontier Corps Losing the Media War
--------------


8. (C) Khattak expressed his frustration with media "noise" by
handing Counselor a copy of a June 22 article from The Observer
entitled "Pakistan troops 'aid' Taliban." The article alleged
that the Frontier Corps is "heavily infiltrated and influenced
by Taliban militants who sometimes join in attacks on coalition
forces." The article stated that "box loads" of classified U.S.
"after action reports" corroborate this accusation. With no
public affairs/communications staff, Khattak noted that
responding to these sort of allegations was extremely difficult.


Taking Cues from the "Political Government"
--------------


9. (C) The IGFC stated that the military is a "tool to be used
to create an environment for other tools to work" and that the
political government's "policy of engagement" will, in turn,
assist the Frontier Corps when force is required again.
According to Khattak, peace deals undertaken by the political
government should be aimed at "isolating insurgents, so the next
time we go into battle we have the support of the people."
Khattak's troops have already noted several violations of the
peace deals such as cross border movement, but he stated that he
was waiting for "direction" from the elected government.

Comment
--------------


10. (C) Khattak was cordial but solemn in the wake of the June
10 incident in Mohmand. He was clearly disturbed by the deaths
of his soldiers. Khattak was equally affected by the negative
press reporting directed at the Frontier Corps that was spawned
by a recent DOD-funded RAND report on counter-insurgency in
Afghanistan, alleging Frontier Corps was aiding the Taliban. We
note that the report offered no evidence beyond citing press
articles, nearly all of which did not even mention Frontier
Corps. The door still appears to be open for cooperation with
Frontier Corps -- a force that will remain an important
component of the tribal areas complex security arrangements.
The outcome of the joint investigation remains the key starting
point to rebuilding trust between forces on the border.

TRACY