FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, FEBRUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PESHAWAR 000037

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/25/2019
TAGS: PTER MOPS PGOV PK
SUBJECT: FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, FEBRUARY
6 - 12

CLASSIFIED BY: LYNNE TRACY, PRINCIPAL OFFICER, PESHAWAR,
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)
Introduction:
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1. (C) The pace of fighting increased in Bajaur during the
second week of February, with government forces reportedly
killing over 44 militants in fighting around Mahmoond tehsil and
militants firing rockets on Khar, the agency capital.
Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) threatened on February 11 to destroy all
educational institutions in the agency if the government did not
withdraw the army from Bajaur. The Political Agent opposed the
return of Bajaur IDPs due to ongoing military operations.


2. (C) In the first attack on a Member of the Provincial
Assembly (MPA) in Peshawar, Awami National Party (ANP)
legislator Alam Zeb Khan was killed on February 11 when
militants detonated a remote-controlled improvised explosive
devise (IED) as his car passed a market area. Khan's murder
continues a trend of militant attacks on ANP supporters that has
been particularly intense in Swat.

Bajaur
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3. (U) The following is a summary of events in Bajaur Agency,
where the Pakistani military has been conducting military
operations since August 2008:

February 8: Security forces reportedly killed 22 militants in
Inayat Qilay with the aid of a tip-off of militant hideouts.
Five civilians were killed and three wounded. The Political
Agent barred the return of IDPs to homes held by security forces
or within firing range. Tribesmen who want to return to their
homes reportedly must provide information about their family,
their religion, and a photograph of the family leader.

February 9: Government forces reportedly killed 6 militants in
the Inayat Qilay area while militants reportedly fired rockets
on the Civil Colony in Khar. A Bajaur Khassadar's body was
found in neighboring Mohmand Agency.

February 10: Security forces claimed to kill 11 militants in
the town of Inayat Qilay. The political administration in Khar
imposed a curfew and issued a three-day ultimatum to residents
to expel militants in hiding. Militants reportedly fired five
rockets on the Civil Colony in Khar and attacked a Levies
checkpost.

February 11: Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) reportedly threatened to
destroy all educational institutions in the agency if the
government did not withdraw the army from Bajaur. The
government reported that one soldier died as troops gained
control of the Inayat Qilay area, killing five militants, and
advancing into Mahmoond tehsil. Security forces also launched
airstrikes on militant hideouts.

NWFP
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4. (U) The following incidents have occurred in the Provincially
Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and settled areas of NWFP:

February 7, Swat: According to a local press report, militants
control five kilometers of road between Kabal and Kanju, with
militants demanding land taxes and rents previously collected by
government officials.

February 8, Swat: Militants ambushed a vehicle belonging to
security forces and killed three security personnel. 11
civilians were also killed in clashes between security forces
and militants. A roadside bomb in Kabal targeted a security
convoy, but no injuries were reported.

February 8, Bannu: Militants fired rockets at a police station
with no injuries reported.

February 8, Peshawar: Dozens of militants attacked Bilal
terminal at Ring Road and destroyed two trucks prepared to make

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deliveries to Afghanistan.

February 9, Bannu: Militants launched a suicide attack on a
security post in Bannu, injuring 18 policemen. Militants from
North Waziristan later claimed responsibility for the bombing,
stating it was in response to drone attacks in the tribal region.

February 9, Swat: Militants destroyed a boys' school and a
Basic Health Unit (clinic) in Matta, blew up a bypass bridge
near Mingora, and killed five.

February 10, Swat: Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP)
Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain claimed that around 50
"taliban" had been killed in the third phase of military
operations in Swat. Militants attacked a convoy of security
forces in Kabal, killing one soldier. Taliban leader and FM
radio announcer Maulana Muhammad Alam announced that residents
of Malakand division should not pay their electricity bills.

February 10: Militants contacted various newspapers threatening
to send its fighters to Islamabad in retaliation for government
operations in Darra Adam Khel and Swat. The militants also
contacted various religious scholars in the capital demanding
that they either support the taliban or leave Islamabad.

February 10, Malakand: A militant threw a hand-grenade at the
Government Boys School during a master's examination.

February 11, Peshawar: In the first attack on a Member of the
Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Peshawar, Alam Zeb Khan was killed
on February 11, and seven injured, when militants detonated a
remote-controlled improvised explosive devise (IED) as his car
passed a market area.

February 11, Swat: Militants reportedly killed three soldiers
at a Charbagh army camp. Taliban leader and FM radio announcer
Maulana Muhammad Alam announced that militant forces possessed
the names and addresses of the children of security force
personnel fighting them in Swat. Militants temporarily
kidnapped the provincial chief of the International Committee
for the Red Cross (ICRC),but freed him.

FATA
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5. (U) The following is a roundup of incidents of Talibanization
in the FATA and Frontier Regions:

February 6, North Waziristan: Militants reportedly killed two
tribesmen for "spying for the U.S."

February 8, Darra Adam Khel: Marking the largest number of
civilian casualties in a single rocket attack, militants killed
14 civilians, including 11 schoolchildren. Militants were
reportedly targeting a security forces' checkpost when the
mortar hit the school. TTP Darra Adam Khel also released a
video depicting the beheading of a Polish engineer who was
kidnapped in September at Attock.

February 9, Khyber: 10 tribesmen were reportedly killed in
clashes between rivals Ansar-al Islam and Lashkar-i-Islam.
Increasing numbers of tribesmen, including Sinwari Khuga Khel
tribe, are migrating from Landi Kotal to avoid violence in the
area.

February 9, North Waziristan: Militants reportedly dumped the
body of a man 40 km north of Miranshah after killing him for
"spying for the U.S."

February 9, Orakzai: 25 militant leaders, led by Hakimullah
Mehsud, from Orakzai, Kurram and Khyber, reportedly offered
conditional support to a peace jirga established by the district
administration, to stop the rising kidnappings and militant
activities in the area.

February 11, Khyber: TTP threatened to attack the Khassadar and
Levies in Jamrud and Landi Kotal if they did not vacate their

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checkpoints by February 20.

Government Response
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6. (C) This is a summary of government responses to "creeping
Talibanization" according to press and consulate contacts:

February 8, Swat: The United Nations and its relief
subsidiaries, WHO, UNHCR, WFP and UNICEF announced it was
sending 12 truckloads of food, medicine, tents, and other
essential items to Mingora.

February 8, Kohat: Eight militants were arrested after a
gun-and-grenade attack. 10 hand grenades, one Kalashnikov, two
pistols and 40 bullets were recovered.

February 9, Peshawar: NWFP Governor Owais Ghani urged tribal
elders to understand the gravity of the situation and maintain
peace in their respective areas.

February 9, South Waziristan: Militant commander and aide to
Baitullah Mehsud, Noor Syed Mehsud, was reportedly injured in a
bomb attack that killed his driver near the Afghan border.

February 11, South Waziristan: Security forces arrested a man
from New Zealand at a security checkpost in Tank who they
suspected of links with militants.

February 11, Peshawar: Local police reported intensified
security in the city, stating that several law enforcement
agencies had placed plain clothes officers in various locations
and that secret cameras had been installed at key points
throughout the city.

Grass Roots Efforts to Halt Talibanization
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7. (U) The following events are examples of activities taken by
local communities to halt the spread of talibanization:

February 8, Peshawar: The Pakhtoon Peace Jirga announced it
would approach the International Court of Justice to seek
punishment against the "enemies of the Pukhtoon people who
imposed Taliban on them."

February 9, Upper Dir: The residents of Maina Doog reportedly
took up arms against militants and taken positions in bunkers.
The militants of Doog Darra have reportedly announced they are
willing to leave the area and hand over a kidnapped Afghan
official to the jirga or local administration.

February 9, Mohmand: The elders of the Isakhel and Burkhankhel
tribes expressed resolve to extend full cooperation to security
forces to purge the area of militants and criminals.

February 11, Peshawar: Student organizations condemned
terrorism and extremism and staged a protest demonstration
against the killing of 25 civilians in Darra Adam Khel and
military operations in Swat, Waziristan and other tribal areas.
TRACY