MALAKAND DIVISION: SWAT OPERATION CONTINUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000100


E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/11/2019
TAGS: MOPS PREF PTER PGOV EAID PK
SUBJECT: MALAKAND DIVISION: SWAT OPERATION CONTINUES

CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne Tracy, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate
Peshawar, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary. From May 8, the Pakistani army has stepped up
its operations in Swat, concentrating its efforts on the areas
south of the central Khwazakhela region. A relaxation of the
curfew in Swat on May 10 allowed large numbers of residents to
flee lower Swat. According to initial estimates, more than
100,000 people have left Swat and more are expected (further
details on the IDP situation septel). Fighting continued in
northern Buner and has intensified in Shangla as the Pakistani
military has moved to secure Shangla. The spillover of the Swat
operation was evident in Lower Dir and Malakand districts, where
militants apparently fleeing Swat were engaged by Pakistani
military forces. Meanwhile, the Northwest Frontier Province
(NWFP) government moved ahead with its implementation of the
Nizam i-Adl regulation. On May 11, Prime Minister Gilani called
a special session of the National Assembly to discuss the
situation in Swat and the humanitarian situation surrounding the
growing number of IDPs. End summary.

ARMY INITIATES OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN SWAT
--------------


2. (C) Beginning May 8, after PM Gilani's May 7 speech vowing to
"eliminate" the Taliban (reftel),the Pakistani army increased
the intensity of its operations in Swat. The army focused its
initial operations on lower Swat, particularly the areas around
Mingora and Saidu Sharif, Swat's largest city and headquarters
respectively; beginning May 10, intense fighting was also
reported in the reputed militant centers of Matta and
Khawazakhela, north of Mingora in central Swat.


3. (C) In a round of calls on May 11, Peshawar PO and Islamabad
Political Counselor met with 11th Corps Commander General
Masood, Frontier Corps Commander General Tariq, NWFP Governor
Ghani, and NWFP Chief Minister Hoti. General Masood and CM Hoti
separately characterized operation in Swat as in the "early
stages" and expected the military campaign there would take
months at least. CM Hoti said that 15-20,000 additional forces
were being brought in from Sialkot for "ground operations" which
have not yet begun.


4. (C) Militant activity in Swat reportedly continued over this
period; press accounts reported them as looting banks and
destroying two boys' schools. The Pakistani military claimed in
a press statement May 10 to have killed nearly two hundred
militants in Swat over the May 9-10 period. It also claimed to
have secured Mingora, but according to consulate contacts,
militants remain in a few strategic buildings and many vacated
houses. Consulate contacts were critical of the artillery- and
aerial bombardment-heavy nature of Pakistani military
operations, but seemed resigned to it as the price of ridding
the area of militants.

IDPs
--------------


5. (C) On May 10, the curfew that had been in place in Swat
since May 5 was lifted for a preannounced six hours to allow
civilians to flee their homes before operations resumed in
earnest. The curfew relaxation was then extended for an
additional three hours as it became clear that the jammed roads
would not allow residents to flee in time for the curfew to be
reimposed. Press reports estimated and Consulate contacts in
Mingora agreed that approximately 90% of the residents of
Mingora had left the city. Consulate contacts also reported
that the city was now without electricity and running water.
North of Khwazakhela, most residents remained in their homes, as
Swat's district coordination officer announced that there would
be "no operation" in Upper Swat and in any case they would have
been unable to exit Swat in the time provided by the curfew
relaxation. CM Hoti expressed concerned that fleeing militants
might be joining the IDP flow south, with the aim of beginning
operations from the IDP camps.


6. (C) CM Hoti who had just visited an IDP camp in Mardan with
PML leader Nawaz Sharif emphasized the importance of showing
"progress" in the military campaign to maintain public support.
Taking care of IDPs, the CM said, was the top priority. General
Masood told PO and PolCouns that General Nadeem who had headed
Pakistan's earthquake relief effort in 2005 is being brought in
to coordinate the IDP emergency. 11th Corps is providing space
at its headquarters for General Nadeem. (Note: Additional
staffing for General Nadeem, however, was unclear.)


ARMY SECURES LOWER SHANGLA; FIGHTING CONTINUES IN BUNER
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Security forces in Shangla reportedly fought through
improvised roadside bombs and fierce militant resistance at a
bridge in Chamtalai to secure important heights in Shangla and
advance to Biladram town. The government also reported
destroying a Taliban training center at Banai Baba, where it
said that up to 150 militants were killed. Frontier Corps
Commander General Tariq told PO and PolCouns that operations
continue in northern Buner. Sultanwas and the passes between
Buner and Swat must still be secured.

Operations in Lower Dir
--------------


8. (C) General Tariq said that some operations are still taking
place in Lower Dir. The primary area of concern, he explained,
was at Chakdarra which lies at the intersection between the Swat
and Dir valleys. Local press reported that FC intercepted
militant forces moving out of Swat at the village of Osakai on
the night of May 9-10, leading to an all-night battle.
According to SOC-FWD, air support is being diverted away from
remaining FC activity in Buner and Lower Dir to the Swat
operation. In Malakand district, militants surrounded and
attacked a security checkpoint in the Palai area manned by
levies; according to press reports, militants also blocked the
roads linking Malakand district to Mardan and Dargai.

NWFP GOVERNMENT MOVES AHEAD WITH NIZAM-E-ADL
--------------


9. (SBU) Peshawar High Court registrar Qalandar Ali Khan
announced in a press briefing that the government had approved
94 new illaqa qazis (judges dealing with minor crimes) and six
new izafi zilla qazis (judges dealing with major crimes),in
addition to the two Darul Qaza (superior court) judges already
named by the government. Due to ongoing operations in the area,
the named qazis will not be immediately able to begin work. The
registrar also noted that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had
approved accelerated procedures for cutting down the backlog of
civil cases and petty-crime prosecutions, which would be
presented at the upcoming May 16 meeting of the National
Judicial Policymaking Committee.


TRACY