FATA AND NWFP: BI-WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 08 PESHAWAR 000468

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/24/2018
TAGS: PTER MOPS PGOV PK
SUBJECT: FATA AND NWFP: BI-WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION:
SEPTEMBER 1-15

REF: A) PESHAWAR 449, B) PESHAWAR 447

CLASSIFIED BY: Michael Via, Acting Principal Officer, U.S.
Consulate Peshawar, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)
Introduction:
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1. (C) On September 6, Peshawar suffered its deadliest suicide
bombing in over a year when forty people were killed, including
eight policemen, 15 km south of Peshawar (ref. B). Security
forces focused their most intense military efforts in Bajaur
during the first two weeks of September, as operations continued
in Swat and Darra Adam Khel. Militant violence also spread into
Upper and Lower Dir. In Swat, security forces continued to
attack militant positions while militants targeted local
political leaders and their families. Limited military actions
against militant strongholds in Darra Adam Khel continued after
commencing on August 29. The Kohat Tunnel and portions of the
Indus Highway remained closed, cutting off the southern
districts from Peshawar.


2. (C) Locals fled from violence in Swat, Kurram and Darra Adam
Khel, as the Bajaur IDPs began their tentative return. In
settled areas and FATA, grassroots movements to repel the
militants continued to emerge during the first two weeks of
September. In Bajaur, the Salarzai tribe appeared to hold
ground against the militants. North-West Frontier Province
(NWFP) Governor Owais Ghani cited the example of other lashkars
(volunteer militias) set up by locals in Dir, Bajaur and Mardan
as models of how to combat militants in the area. Similar
lashkars were also formed in Hangu, Kohat, and by the Wazir
tribe in South Waziristan. Peace committees in Charsadda and
Lakki Marwat began joint patrols with the police, as the Awami
National Party (ANP) announced that it would support the
creation of peace committees in villages in order to support the
police.

Swat: Operation Rah-e-Haq-II Grinds On
--------------


3. (C) According to ODRP, on August 30, the Pakistan Army
stepped up military operations in Swat, employing two infantry
brigades and three wings of the Frontier Corps. The Swat
operation focused on Kabal and Matta tehsils, where Maulana
Fazlullah's militant supporters had established strongholds, but
was also intended to clear the Peochar Valley, where militants
often retreat. Pakistan Army sources claim that they have
forced militants to vacate most of the settled areas. Pakistan
Military sources stated that almost 200 militants had been
killed. Militants made the termination of their fighting
contingent on enforcement of Shari'a law in neighboring
Malakand. Swat remained under a constant curfew, with a growing
humanitarian problem as shortages of essential food items and
medicines became more prevalent. The following is a timeline of
significant events according to local press and post contacts
between September 1 and 15:

September 1: Militants beheaded a man on a charge of spying.

September 2: Gunmen killed a policeman in Mingora. Militants
destroyed a market owned by an Awami National Party (ANP) leader
in Matta.

September 5: Nine locals were killed when they tried to protect
themselves against the militants.

September 7: Militants attempted to kidnap a local leader in
Matta, leading to a fire fight with villagers in which 24 people
were killed.

September 7: Militants freed 35 locals after a short truce in
Swat. Five more militants were killed in Swat violence.
Militants released 13 locals after ceasefire. Militants
attacked an army base camp in Swat.

September 7: Militants sought the release of their fellow
militants in exchange for releasing the Chinese engineers who
had been kidnapped in late August in Dir.

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September 11: Gunmen shot dead a police constable and his
daughter. Militants blew up a telephone exchange and several
houses in Kabal.

September 13: Gunmen killed an ANP activist, and militants
claimed they would end hostilities if the government enforced
Shari'a law in neighboring Malakand district.

September 14: Ceasefire efforts were underway in Swat, but the
truce talks eventually failed.

September 15: Some press reports alleged that Swat militants
were getting arms from the Afghan army.

September 15: Militants freed 25 security personnel who had
previously been kidnapped.

Bajaur: Military Presses On, But Displaced Families Stay Away
-------------- --------------


4. (C) On September 9, the Pakistan Army introduced an
additional brigade of ground troops. Although GOP claimed to
kill over 250 militants during this reporting period, consulate
contacts related that most locals did not believe the actual
figures are lower. Security force casualties were reported as

14. In one instance, security forces struck militants who had
fled into Mohmand agency. The following is a timeline of
significant events according to local press and post contacts
through September 15:

September 7: Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, leader of the
Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) in Bajaur, appeared in a Khar suburb to
announce he had not been killed and vowed to continue "jihad"
against America.

September 11: Militants killed three pro-government tribesmen,
accusing the victims of spying.

September 15: Militants freed 25 security forces they had
kidnapped in July after they stormed a checkpoint in Kabal. A
militant spokesman said the security men were freed as a
goodwill gesture in negotiation between elders and government
officials.

September 15: According to national press reports, more than
100,000 IDPs from Bajaur arrived in Rawalpindi.

Kurram: Fewer Deaths but Violence Continues
--------------


5. (C) While the number of killings decreased from the surge in
August, daily violence in Kurram between the Shi'a Turi tribe
and the Sunni Bangash tribe continued despite the declaration of
a ceasefire on September 1. The death toll in the first two
weeks of September was approximately 85, although negotiations
by the end of the reporting period began to reduce the violence.
The following is a timeline of significant events according to
local press and post contacts through September 15:

September 1: The Turi fighters claimed to take control of
Baghzai, located across the Kurram River from Alizai. It was the
headquarters of the Bangash tribe and allegedly a local taliban
stronghold. At least nine were killed in the day's fighting.

September 2: In violation of the ceasefire struck on September
1, violence in the Sadda area and in Kirman, on the eastern
border of Upper Kurram, claimed eight more lives. The Shi'a
fighters allegedly killed six local taliban and burned five
houses.

September 2: According to one press report, some local taliban
fled Bajaur for Kurram.

September 3-8: Ongoing clashes killed 42 in the areas between

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Alizai and Sadda, in Kirman and around Peiwar, 25 km northwest
of Parachinar at the border with Afghanistan. Hospital sources
claimed that some of the dead were not locals.

September 9: The Shi'a tribesmen burned down the house of a
local taliban commander and killed six militants.

September 10-13: Ongoing clashes killed 23 in the areas along
the road between Alizai and Sadda, in Kirman and around Peiwar.

September 14: Clashes killed one in the areas along the road
between Alizai and Sadda and around Peiwar.

September 15: Mangal tribesmen attacked the Shi'a in Peiwar,
killing four.

Darra Adam Khel: Limited Operation to Quell Militancy
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Although military operations in Bajaur and Swat drew most
of the attention, the military operation near Darra Adam Khel
launched on August 29 was ongoing in Frontier Region Kohat.
Residents of the southern half of NWFP traveled lengthy
circuitous routes to reach Peshawar because of the fighting.
Scores of families left their homes and took refuge in other
areas while some public and private schools were damaged. The
following is a timeline of significant events according to local
press and post contacts through September 15:

September 1: Four security personnel were seriously injured and
one militant was killed during an exchange of heavy fire.

September 2: Militants fired at least three rockets at Kohat
Tunnel, causing minor damage to its outer portion.

September 4: Militants reportedly looted banks of nearly $27,000.

September 7: Dozens of armed militants from Darra Adam Khel
opened fire on a Frontier Constabulary post, killing one FC
member.

September 15: Militants attacked an army convoy in Darra Adam
Khel, injuring four security personnel.

NWFP
--------------


7. (C) The following incidents have occurred in the
Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and settled areas
of the NWFP between September 1 and 15:

September 3, Orakzai: Militants kidnapped 25 police recruits
while they were en route to a police training college after
vacation in the nearby town of Hangu. Militants bundled the
recruits into a waiting van and later beheaded two of them.

September 4, Kohat: Militants killed three policemen and escaped.

September 4, Kohat: Unidentified militants blew up the gas
supply to Kohat Cement Company.

September 6, Charsadda: Unidentified gunmen damaged about 20
shops, including internet cafes and CD shops in two markets.

September 8, Peshawar: Militants threatened to blow up the
Badhaber Police Station.

September 9, Peshawar: Militants smashed stands at a market for
allegedly selling pornographic CDs and other objectionable items.

September 10, Lower Dir: Militants killed at least 25 people and
wounded over 50 by hurling hand grenades into a mosque and fired
on them during evening prayer.

September 13, Upper Dir: Militants affiliated with TTP blew up

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the only high school for girls in the area, attended by 500
girls, reportedly because the girls had ignored a previous
warning to wear veils.

FATA
--------------


8. (SBU) The following is a roundup of incidents of
talibanization in FATA's tribal agencies and frontier regions
between September 1 and 15:

September 4, Khyber: Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) militants kidnapped
three khassadars, tribal police, reportedly to force the
government to release 10 LI members arrested several days
earlier in Jamrud.

September 4, FR Lakki: Two militants attacked a police
checkpoint near Lakki Marwat.

September 5, Khyber: Unidentified militants snatched rifles from
khassadars.

September 7, Mohmand: Local taliban patrolled a bazaar in
Ghallanai and demanded that shopkeepers display price lists as
set by the taliban Shura council.

September 9, North Waziristan: Militants fired eight missiles on
the Pakistan Army Camp near Miramshah, administrative
headquarters of the Agency.

September 11, Mohmand: Militants killed three tribesmen when
local shopkeepers resisted their investigation of shops in the
area for illegal drugs.

September 11, Khyber: Eight khassadars were kidnapped at a
checkpost near Landi Kotal.

September 11, North Waziristan: Militants fired three missiles
on a military camp in Miramshah.

Government / Military Responses
--------------


9. (C) This is a summary of government and military responses
to talibanization between September 1 and 15, according to press
reporting and consulate contacts:

September 1, Swat: The Army claimed to have killed several
militants when jet fighters and helicopter gunships hit their
hideouts in Peochar, Shakardara and other areas in upper Swat.
Fighters dropped approximately 30 missiles on militants.

September 1, Kurram: In discussions with the Assistant Political
Agent, the six Sunni tribes of Lower Kurram -- the Bangash,
Mangal, Para Chamkani, Zaidashat, Ali Sherzai and Maqbal --
declared a ceasefire. This announcement followed the unilateral
ceasefire by the Shi'a tribes on August 26.

September 1, Kohat: The district government imposed a local
emergency, known as Section 144, in response to protests over
the violence in Kurram and the continued closure of the
Thall-Hangu road.

September 1, Khyber: Hazrat Nabi, spokesman for the outlawed TTP
in Khyber Agency, and five other militants surrendered to the
political administration after a peace deal was struck between
the political agent and local tribes. Under the agreement,
locals agreed not to cause harm to trucks carrying goods to
Afghanistan in exchange for the release of 81 tribesmen.

September 2, Swat: Air strikes by security forces killed 25 in
Swat. The dead included 15 militants and 10 civilians, four of
them women.

September 3, Bajaur: Security forces reportedly killed four

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militants.

September 3, Swat: Security forces launched a massive ground
operation backed by helicopters and Air Force jets on Koza
Bandai in Kabal. Thirty militants and six civilians were
killed. Dozens of homes were also destroyed.

September 3, Khyber: Political authorities arrested six elders
and 40 other men in a crackdown under the collective
responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR)
after the tribe failed to hand over two controversial clerics.

September 3, Mohmand: Security forces arrested three militants
from South Waziristan at a checkpost.

September 3, South Waziristan: Widespread media reports claimed
that ground troops from Afghanistan entered Pakistan for the
first time killing 20 in Angoor Adda village.

September 4, Swat: Security forces continued intense operations
in Swat, killing at least 30 militants and nine civilians.
Residents affected by the violence evacuated their homes as the
security forces imposed a curfew. Sixteen militants, including
two commanders, died in clashes. Six troops also died.

September 4, Bajaur: Security forces started heavy shelling of
militant positions in Mamond and Charmang in the western part of
the agency, reportedly killing three militants. Hundreds of
tribesmen began migrating from those areas.

September 4, FR Kohat: Security forces launched a fresh
offensive against militants in Darra Adam Khel, killing 20 of
them.

September 7, FR Kohat: Army attack helicopters killed a
religious seminary student and injured 10 others in Darra Adam
Khel. The students were between seven and 16 years old.

September 5, Bajaur: Security forces reportedly targeted
militant strongholds in Mamond and Salarzai in western Bajaur.
Shelling and firing forced hundreds of tribesmen to leave their
homes for safer areas outside the agency.

September 5, Islamabad: Interior Advisor Rehman Malik stated
that a loya jirga would be held for the restoration of peace in
Kurram.

September 6, Bajaur: Security forces, backed by helicopter
gunships and artillery, reportedly destroyed suspected military
hideouts in Khar and Torghundi areas. Ten militants were killed
along with 20 civilians.

September 6, Bajaur: A cannon shell fired by security forces hit
a home in Mamond, killing two women.

September 7, Bajaur: Security forces began to restore government
services in the suburbs of Khar.

September 8, Swat: Security forces killed ten militants while
firing on them with artillery shells in Koza Bandai.

September 8, Bajaur: Security forces pushed militants out of
Khar.

September 8, Mohmand: The paramilitary Mohmand Rifles arrested
three suspected militants at Nahqi checkpoint on the border with
Bajaur.

September 8, Mardan: The Works and Services department announced
it will spend $3.5 million within a year to construct seven new
roads and repair a bridge damaged in an explosion.

September 8, Tank: The military launched development and welfare
projects worth $56,000. The schemes emphasize access to water
and electricity.

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September 8, Nowshera: Police arrested a young man wearing a
suicide jacket who later confessed that he was trained by TTP in
South Waziristan. He was directed to target the Risalpur Air
Force Academy but his mission was called off when his handler
realized there were too few people there. He was then directed
to another part of Nowshera to attack security forces but was
overpowered by security forces after dropping the fuse. He
claimed that Baitullah Mahsood had written him a letter
promising that he would go to heaven for completing his mission.


September 9, Bajaur: Security forces launched a major ground
operation in Bajaur, killing seven militants while taking
control of Atmankhel, Salarzai and the agency headquarters of
Khar.

September 10, Bajaur: The army used artillery, tanks, armored
personnel carriers and helicopter gunships to kill around 30
militants. Four soldiers died.

September 11, Swat: Fourteen militants were killed as the
security forces targeted militants' hideouts.

September 11, Bajaur: Ground forces backed by planes, helicopter
gunships and tanks intensified the offensive in Bajaur. The
military claimed that it killed between 80 and 100 militants,
including foreigners. Two soldiers were killed. Witnesses said
that a number of non-combatants were also killed.

September 11, Kurram: The Political Agent held talks with a
jirga of tribal elders to discuss ways of brokering a permanent
ceasefire. The elders agreed to evacuate their fighters from
hideouts and hilltops and hand them over to the Kurram Militia.

September 12, Bajaur: Fierce fighting between security forces
and militants continued in their strongholds off the main road
in western Bajaur. Security forces responded with jetfighters
and helicopter gunships. Reports varied, but security forces
stated they killed between 40 and 85 militants, including
foreign fighters. Two security officers also were killed.

September 12, Kohat: The political administration detained
Maulvi Rafiuddin, Baitullah Mahsud's TTP associate, under a
provision of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

September 12, Swat: Security forces pounded militant hideouts
throughout the district, killing 14 militants.

September 13, Swat: Security forces struck militant hideouts,
killing seven.

September 13, Bajaur: Security forces claimed to kill 60
militants, many of them foreign, after a day of heavy bombing.
Eight soldiers were killed in the fighting.

September 13-14, Peshawar: Two platoons of Frontier Constabulary
and around 40 Peshawar police forced at least 15 militants to
flee after they took over a government office in Regi Lalma,
approximately 10 km northwest of Peshawar. (Note: a platoon is
approximately 40 individuals).

September 14, Khyber: The political administration arrested 17
suspects from a mosque that was alleged to be a base for local
taliban activities. The administration accused the boys and men
of violating the previous peace agreement barring Hazrat Nabi
from leading prayer or giving sermons and prohibiting local
taliban from patrolling the area with arms. Seven of the
suspects were below the age of ten.

September 14, Peshawar: Acting President of Pakistan, Dr.
Fehmida Mirza, addressed a group of IDPs from Bajaur and
distributed checks to help them.

September 14, Mohmand: A military gunship helicopter reportedly

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killed six people from across the border with Bajaur.

September 15, Bajaur: Security forces backed by jet fighters,
gunship helicopters and tanks, killed 40 militants after hitting
their western Bajaur strongholds in Loi Sam, Tang Khatta,
Rashkai, Tandar Ghatt, Khazana and Bhai Cheena. Two civilians
were also killed.

September 15, Kurram: The Political Agent deployed members of
the Kurram Militia, the local Frontier Corps, to the positions
vacated by both Sunni and Shi'a tribesmen following talks with a
tribal jirga.

September 15, South Waziristan: Widespread media reports claimed
that Wazir tribesmen and security forces in the border town of
Angoor Adda, 30 km from Wana, fired warning shots at helicopters
from Afghanistan in order to deter them from entering Pakistan.

September 15, Lakki Marwat: Youths and volunteers of a special
peace force began patrolling the area with law enforcement
agencies to maintain peace during Ramadan.

Grassroots Efforts to Halt Talibanization
--------------


10. (SBU) The following events are examples of activities taken
by local communities to halt the spread of talibanization
between September 1 and 15:

September 2, Bajaur: A tribal lashkar consisting of 10,000 armed
tribesmen launched an action against militants in Salarzai,
burning over a dozen homes of militant supporters.

September 4, Kurram: A Shi'a leader of Tanzeem-ul-Momineen in
NWFP rejected the August statement Interior Advisor, Rehman
Malik, that Afghanistan is helping the Turi tribe against their
Sunni rivals.

September 4, Charsadda: A grand peace jirga announced that peace
committees at police stations would restore peace to the
district.

September 4, Mardan: Elders announced at a peace jirga that they
would join with local authorities in fighting militants in their
area.

September 5, Swat: Tribesmen killed six militants after they
attempted to kidnap one of their spiritual leaders.

September 5, Kohat: Tribesmen from eight villages in the
district launched a force comprising 2,000 people to combat
terrorism.

September 5, Bajaur: The Salarzai lashkar announced it had
already burned 18 houses and two militant compounds. It
conducted a grand jirga and announced that it would impose a
fine of $13,000 and torch the home of anyone providing refuge to
militants.

September 5, Swat: Tribesmen killed six militants after they
attempted to kidnap one of their spiritual leaders.

September 8, Peshawar: Awami National Party (ANP) leaders
announced that peace jirgas would be set up at the village level
throughout NWFP to supplement the efforts of the government to
maintain peace.

September 9, Mardan: The district nazim announced the formation
of lashkars at police stations to help the police maintain law
and order in the area.

September 11, Kohat: Local residents issued a statement that
religious forces would join ranks to stop militancy by forming
local armed lashkars to assist the police. The statement said
that militants were earning a bad name for Islam by destroying

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schools, carrying out suicide bombings, and destroying public
and private property.

September 13, Kurram: Successful talks led by tribal elders
halted violence in Kirman in Upper Kurram and in villages around
Sadda in Lower Kurram, though fighting continued in other parts
of the agency.

September 13, Lower Dir: A jirga convinced local militants to
close their camps and leave the area.

September 13, Hangu: Tribesmen belonging to four Orakzai Agency
tribes ruled in a grand jirga that they would impose a fine of
nearly $67,000 on anyone sheltering foreigners and set fire to
their houses.

September 13, Peshawar: NWFP governor Owais Ghani cited the
example of lashkars set up by locals in Dir, Bajaur and Mardan
as models of how to combat militants in the area.

September 15, South Waziristan: The Wazir tribesmen formed a
lashkar of approximately 400 men to stop militants from
operating in their region.
VIA