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: -------------- ¶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. PESHAWAR 00000468 002 OF 008 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 PESHAWAR 00000468 003 OF 008 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 PESHAWAR 00000468 004 OF 008 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 PESHAWAR 00000468 005 OF 008 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. PESHAWAR 00000468 006 OF 008 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 PESHAWAR 00000468 007 OF 008 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 PESHAWAR 00000468 008 OF 008 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