MALAKAND DIVISION: BUNER OPERATIONS IN FOURTH DAY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 000939

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: MALAKAND DIVISION: BUNER OPERATIONS IN FOURTH DAY
AND PEACE TALKS RESUME

REF: A. ISLAMABAD 887

B. ISLAMABAD 901

C. ISLAMABAD 912

Classified By: CDA Gerald Feierstein for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (S/NF) Summary. On May 1, Pakistan military operations in
Buner District (Malakand Division, Northwest Frontier
Province (NWFP)) entered their fourth day. Security forces
cut a major militant supply line to the Ambela pass and
established a Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Daggar on
April 30. FC ground elements continue to meet heavy
resistance and directed vehicle-borne explosive attacks as
they push through various strategic lines to Daggar. In a
May 1 meeting Pakistan Military 11th Corps and U.S. Special
Operations Command - Forward (SOC-FWD) Chief agreed to
establish an intelligence fusion cell for the 11th Corps and
to train operators for better information sharing and imagery
capabilities.


2. (SBU) TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad attended a meeting
with NWFP government officials on May 1 in Timergara, Lower
Dir. Following the meeting, NWFP and TNSM spokesmen held a
joint press conference and announced that the dialogue had
resumed and the parties continued to work toward the
formation of the Darul Qaza (appellate courts) as promised in
the Nizam-e-Adl. Awami National Party (ANP) senior leader
Afrasiab Kattak announced on April 30 that the NWFP
government would support the Nizam-e-Adl in Malakand Division
for two more days before the government took strong action
against those taliban who did not lay down arms. End Summary.

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN BUNER
--------------


3. (S/NF) On May 1, Pakistani military operations in Buner
District (Malakand Division, NWFP) entered their fourth day.
Ground forces cut a major militant supply line to the Ambela
pass and established a Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in
Daggar (main city within Buner) on April 30. In a May 1
meeting with Frontier Corps Inspector General Major General
Tariq Khan, U.S. Special Operations Command - Forward
(SOC-FWD) Chief was informed that the FC plan to move south
of Daggar, with the hope of keeping the fight out of the
populated urban centers. Khan reported that his ground
troops have been experiencing significant resistance and
coming in contact with increased levels of explosive-laden
vehicles and suicide attacks. Additional reinforcements have
been sent to Daggar to assist the 3rd Commando Division of
the Special Security Group (SSG) currently holding Daggar.


4. (SBU) In a late afternoon press conference on May 1,
Pakistani Military Director General for the Inter Services
Public Relations office, Major General Athar Abbas announced
that approximately 55 militants had been killed by security
forces over the last 24 hours and at least 50 militant-owned
vehicles, four of which were laden with explosives, had been
destroyed. Abbas also reported that life in Buner was
beginning to return to normal, with roads and shops being
reopened and the district-wide curfew being relaxed.


5. (S/NF) In a separate May 1 meeting with SOC-FWD Chief,
11th Corps Chief of Staff Brigadier General Riaz Aamar
accepted a U.S. offer to assist the 11th Corps in
establishing an intelligence fusion cell at their
headquarters in Peshawar. SOC-FWD will start training on the
various imagery and communications equipment for the
designated operators as soon as senior 11th Corps leadership
officially approves the Cell.

TNSM-NWFP TALKS RESUME
--------------


6. (SBU) On April 30, Tehreek-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi
(TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad reemerged in public for
the first time since April 25 and announced that talks with
the NWFP government would remain stalled as long as the
military operations in Buner and Lower Dir continued. He
further stated that these military operations violated the
Swat peace agreement and would only further the
talibanization of the Malakand Division. However, on May 1,
Sufi resumed talks in Timergara, Lower Dir, meeting with NWFP

ISLAMABAD 00000939 002 OF 002


Information Minister Mian Iftikhar to discuss the "law and
order" situation in Malakand Division and the formation of
the Darul Qaza (appellate courts),the formation of which
Sufi has publicly linked to ushering peace in Malakand.


7. (SBU) Following the meeting, TNSM spokesman Ameer Izzat
and Iftikhar held a joint press conference to announce that
the deadlock over the appointment of the qazis (judges) for
the Darul Qaza had been broken, and the two sides were closer
to establishment of the courts under the Nizam-e-Adl
regulation. When asked by press, Izzat reiterated the TNSM
stance that these courts will bring peace and shari'a law
throughout all of Malakand Division. Additionally, he
assured press that once these courts were operational, any
militant who raises a weapon will be considered a "rebel" and
against the writ of the government. Both spokesmen said a
second round of talks will be held with the District
Commissioners throughout the Malakand Division and district
political party leaders, date undetermined.

OPERATIONS IN SWAT?
--------------


8. (SBU) Awami National Party (ANP) senior leader Afrasiab
Kattak announced on April 30 that the NWFP government would
support the existence of the Nizam-e-Adl in Malakand Division
for two more days before the government would take strong
action against those taliban who did not lay down arms.
Media reports indicate that crime and militant activity in
and around Mingora continues to rise and the citizens are
preparing for a rumored upcoming Pakistani military
operation. ANP leader Afzal Zala, who remained in Swat
throughout the taliban takeover, was medivaced for treatment;
local observers saw this as a sign of expected Army action.

AL QAIDA WEIGHS IN
--------------


9. (SBU) Meanwhile, the press covered reports of a 29-page
"Call to Arms" by al Qaida Commander, Abu Yahya al-Libi,
directed at Pakistanis. In his message, he encouraged the
Muslims of Pakistan to prepare to fight the Pakistan military
and those that support them.
FEIERSTEIN