FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, MAY 8 -

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 PESHAWAR 000108 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/22/2019 TAGS: PTER MOPS PGOV PK SUBJECT: FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, MAY 8 - MAY 14 REF: A) PESHAWAR 101; B) PESHAWAR 100; C) ISLAMABAD 991 CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne Tracy, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate Peshawar, U.S. Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (d) Introduction - - - - - - - ¶1. (C) Heavy fighting in Swat, Buner and Dir characterized the second week in May, underscored by a May 12 airborne assault on Maulana Fazlullah's stronghold in Peochar valley in Swat. The government claimed to have killed over 750 militants in the course of its operation in the three districts. Incidents during the week in neighboring Shangla and Malakand districts appeared to be a spillover effect from these ongoing operations. Meanwhile, the apparent response of militants outside of Malakand to the collapse of the peace deal and the government operation in Swat has been limited to attacks on government positions in South Waziristan and Mohmand agencies on May 9 and 10, resulting in and estimated 45 deaths, and a suicide bombing in Darra Adam Khel (F.R. Kohat) on May 11, which killed ten. ¶2. (C) A military spokesman claimed on May 8 that since the February 16 Swat peace agreement, militants in Swat had conducted over 30 armed assaults, abducted over 100 people, killed 30 security personnel, carried out 14 suicide attacks, eight improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, ambushed 7 military convoys, robbed six banks, destroyed three police stations an one electricity grid station, and damaged two schools. ¶3. (C) One result of the talibanization of the province appears to be a continuing rise in law and order problems in Peshawar. According to statistics released by the city police on May 10, all categories of crime in Peshawar rose during the first four months of 2009 by an average of about 80 percent compared to the same period in 2008. Murders rose from 140 to 220; attempted murders from 151 to 190; kidnappings from 60 to 110; assaults on police from 28 to 48; robberies from 14 to 32; burglaries from 35 to 51; stolen automobiles from 55 to 113. Swat - - - ¶4. (SBU) The following is a summary of events in Swat, where the government launched an operation in the second week of May: May 8: Taliban fighters fired six rockets at Circuit House in Mingora, killing one soldier and injuring another. Militants killed the brother of Union Council Nazim (mayor) of Khawazakhela and kidnapped two policemen from Sor Bridge. Fighters also reportedly attacked Mingora Police Station, Saidu Sharif Police Lines, and other government offices. Locals claimed that taliban militants looted and plundered commercial banks in Mingora and Saidu Sharif along with shops and houses. May 9: Militants reportedly damaged a government primary school for girls in Kanju and robbed a Muslim Commercial Bank branch in Mingora. A military spokesman claimed that militants were indiscriminately shelling populated areas of Mingora and had fortified civilian homes to fight government troops. Residents claimed that many taliban had shaved their beards and fled along PESHAWAR 00000108 002 OF 007 with the local population. Security forces bombarded militant positions using helicopter gunships. May 11: Militants reportedly destroyed a government primary school for boys in Fazalabad, Barikot tehsil. Militants killed three soldiers and injured several others, including an officer, on the route from Khwazakhela to Banai Babai. Militants also attacked Kanju Fort, injuring five soldiers, and injured two in another attack on Circuit House. Militants fired mortar shells at Mingora police station, injuring four soldiers. May 14: Militants attacked an army position in Peochar, but the army repelled the attack. Militants reportedly mined roads and dug trenches leading into Mingora. Buner - - - ¶5. (SBU) The following is a summary of events in Buner District, NWFP, a district neighboring Swat, where the government launched a military operation in the final week of April: May 8: Militants reportedly murdered a local in Elai, an engineer for Radio Pakistan and activist of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). A mortar reportedly killed two people in a village outside Daggar. Security forces shelled villages throughout the district. Government troops drove militants out of Pir Baba in the north. May 9: Security forces, using helicopter gunships, reportedly killed 14 militants in the Maidan area. May 10: Local contacts have confirmed newspaper reports that 90 percent of Mingora and 35 percent of Swat of left their homes. May 11: Militants reportedly blew up homes of leading people in Sultanwas and Pacha Kalay before taking positions in bunkers. May 14: Government forces surrounded Sultanwas, where militants were reportedly entrenched. Lower Dir - - - - - ¶6. (SBU) The following is a summary of events in Lower Dir District, NWFP, a district neighboring Swat, where the government launched a military operation during the final week of April: PESHAWAR 00000108 003 OF 007 May 8: Militants burned down a police station in Ooch after asking the policemen to vacate the building. May 9: Militants stole three vehicles from Ooch, including an ambulance. Militants also injured five security personnel in clashes near Lal Qila. Residents of the Maidan reportedly continued to stream out of the area during the fighting, with the government claiming to have killed large numbers of militants. May 10: Militants reportedly laid IEDs outside of Chakdara and kidnapped a reporter of a private TV channel. May 11: Militants occupied and destroyed the home of member of the National Assembly (MNA) Malik Azmat Khan. Militants injured four soldiers in the Chakdara area and attacked a vegetable truck, killing two. May 14: Security forces supported by helicopter gunships battled militants in the Maidan area of Dir. Bajaur and Mohmand - - - - - - - - - - ¶7. (SBU) The following is a summary of events in Bajaur and Mohmand Agencies, where the Pakistani military has been conducting military operations since August 2008: May 8, Mohmand: Security forces reportedly demolished 30 houses and arrested five suspects in Spinkai Tangi area. May 8, Bajaur: The United Nations reportedly began urging IDPs to begin returning to the agency. May 9, Bajaur: Militants kidnapped a pro-government tribal elder and founder of a lashkar, near Munda. Elsewhere, locals claimed that more than 300 displaced families began returning to Mamoond tehsil. May 10, Mohmand: A large number of heavily armed militants reportedly attacked a Frontier Corps camp in Had, Ambar tehsil, setting off an intense three-hour battle that left ten soldiers injured and 26 militants dead. May 11, Bajaur: The Political Agent announced that more Levies would be recruited to replace 500 jawans terminated due to absence from duty and an increase in salary, over the next two months, to match Levy pay with that of the Frontier Constabulary. PESHAWAR 00000108 004 OF 007 NWFP - - - ¶8. (C) The following incidents have occurred in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) according to press and consulate contacts: May 8, Peshawar: Militants reportedly blew up a centuries-old shrine of Sheikh Baba, a revered Egyptian cleric, at a historic graveyard in the city. Militants also destroyed 15 shops in two markets 15 km south of the city. The shopkeepers claimed over $100,000 in damage. May 8, Hangu: Militants attacked a local meeting of elders in Doaba, killing five and injuring five others. May 8, Mardan: Militants reportedly sent letters to two schools threatening to destroy them. Taliban demanded the teaching staff and students of the girls' school to wear veils; and demanded the boys' school to teach Islamic education. May 8, Karak: Taliban have reportedly demanded that the administration of a government high school in Khojaki Kalla end co-education. May 9, Upper Dir: A local peace jirga asked the government not to send security forces into the area, stating they would hold talks with militants to convince them to leave the area. May 9, Shangla: Militants injured two government soldiers in a battle for a camp in the Bannai Baba heights (overlooking Swat); the Pakistani army claimed high militant casualties and many locals fled the area. May 9, Batkhela: A mortar shell reportedly landed on a house, killing four and causing locals to flee. May 9, Malakand: Militants reportedly attacked a Levies camp near Palai (close to Swat),killed two and kidnapped three security forces personnel, before destroying the camp. May 11, Hangu: Militants set two shops on fire in Azmat market, burning both shops to the ground. May 11, Malakand: Militants reportedly issued a series of threats to all National and Provincial Assembly members from the region to resign within three days or face arrest and destruction of their homes. PESHAWAR 00000108 005 OF 007 May 13, Peshawar: Militants attacked two separate terminals, Paramount Logistics and Sind Frontier Goods, at Ring Road. Approximately 70 militants attacked Paramount, setting its workshop on fire. Next, the militants attacked Sind Frontier Goods, setting seven empty trailers and two trailers containing plywood sheets on fire. The driver, a cleaner, and a guard were reported missing. May 14, Battagram: Militants reportedly ransacked and then set fire to a police checkpost in Batta Mori. May 14, Peshawar: Militants reportedly destroyed a government girls' primary school on the outskirts of the city. May 14, Dera Ismail Khan: Three explosions reportedly injured nine police officers. FATA - - - ¶9. (C) The following is a roundup of incidents of talibanization in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Frontier Regions: May 8, Khyber: Security forces reportedly defused a roadside bomb in Landikotal; traffic was blocked for more than two hours. May 8, FR Kohat: A rocket fired from an unknown location reportedly killed four in an Afghan refugee camp. Security forces reportedly launched an operation against militants by firing heavy artillery at locations in Shen Dhand, Tor Chappar, Sunnikhel, Bostikhel and Akhorwal. May 9, South Waziristan: Militants attacked a security forces convoy 20 km east of Wana, summer headquarters of the agency, killing one officer and injuring two soldiers. 18 people were killed and four injured when security forces responded. Elsewhere, four missiles reportedly killed ten militants. May 11, FR Kohat: A 17-year-old suicide car bomber reportedly killed ten other people, including a soldier, and injured 13 security force personnel, in an attack on a Frontier Corps checkpoint in Darra Adam Khel. Over 11 of the injured were in vehicles on the Kohat-Peshawar road; the attacker could not reach his target due to the line of cars. May 11, South Waziristan: A taliban commander close to Baitullah Mehsud, Tikka Khan Burki, was reportedly found dead along with five others. PESHAWAR 00000108 006 OF 007 May 11, Khyber: Militants reportedly fired a rocket at the shrine of a renowned Pashto poet and another at a girls' college near a local electrical grid station. Taliban also bombed the only girls' primary school in the area the same night, destroying its library. May 14, North Waziristan: A military convoy was reportedly targeted with an IED in the Pir Kallay area, killing three soldiers and injuring four others; security forces retaliated with an artillery strike against militant positions in the areas close to the Miramshah Tochi Fort. May 14, FR Kohat: The spokesman for the Darra Adam Khel taliban told a newspaper that they had set a deadline of June 14 for the government to stop military operations in the region or they would start shooting down commercial planes travelling through the airspace of the region. Government Response - - - - - - - - - - ¶10. (SBU) This is a summary of government responses to "creeping talibanization" according to press and consulate contacts: May 9, Kohat: Police reportedly raided a terrorist safehouse, recovered a government vehicle, seized explosives and arrested two suspected terrorists. May 9, Battagram: Police reportedly shot and killed a terrorist trying to set explosives on the Pak-China Friendship Bridge, spanning the Indus River to the Northern Areas. May 9, Peshawar: After police arrested three suspected terrorists on the outskirts of the city, four others ambushed the police. The three arrested men and two of the attackers were killed. May 11, Hangu: Police reportedly defused a five kg bomb in Hangu's main bazaar. May 14, FR Kohat: Security forces reportedly launched a search operation in Darra Adam Khel, killing nine militants and arresting 12 others. Grass Roots Efforts to Halt Talibanization - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶10. (U) The following events are examples of activities taken by local communities to halt the spread of Talibanization: PESHAWAR 00000108 007 OF 007 May 11, Karak: Residents formed a grand jirga to take action against lawlessness and those who shelter criminals, fining them 150,000 rupees. TRACY