FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, FEBRUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000048 E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/12/2019 TAGS: PGOV PTER MOPS PK SUBJECT: FATA AND NWFP: WEEKLY INCIDENTS OF TALIBANIZATION, FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5 REF: A) PESHAWAR 47 B) ISLAMABAD 501 C) PESHAWAR 43 D) PESHAWAR 42 CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne Tracy, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate Peshawar, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (d) Introduction - - - - - - - ¶1. (C) In Bajaur, Frontier Corps appears to be shifting its focus to post-kinetic operations in the agency. We remain concerned, however, about the ability of Bajaur's militants to stage attacks. In Swat, although President Zadari has yet to sign the order, the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) Government Information Minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, said on February 28, the provincial government would enforce Nizam-i-Adl regulation (Shari'a) in letter and spirit as promised with the Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM) chief, Sufi Mohammad who demanded enforcement to begin by March 16 (Ref. D). Militant violations of the Swat ceasefire continued, but the provincial government appears determined to keep the ceasefire alive (Ref A). Bajaur - - - - ¶2. (C) The following is a summary of events in Bajaur Agency, where the Pakistani military has been conducting military operations since August 2008: February 28: Speaking to international reporters in Bajaur, March 28, Inspector General Frontier Corps General Tariq Khan said "the militants have lost the war and now Bajaur is safe," Tariq was likely referring to securing the lines of communication in the agency (Ref C). March 3: The Mahmoond tribe of Bajaur announced that they would support the government for the restoration of peace in Bajaur. A jirga announced support for the restoration of the government's writ and banned the display of arms in the area. March 5: The Taliban blew up a primary school at Nawagai tehsil of Bajaur Agency. No casualties were reported. NWFP - - - ¶3. (U) The following incidents have occurred in the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and settled areas of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) according to press and consulate contacts: February 28, Kohat: Two people were killed and five injured by militant gunmen on motorcycles in what eyewitnesses said was a calm, planned and coordinated attack on the Indus Highway near Kohat. In a separate incident, nine men were shot by a rival militant group who had ignored warnings to leave the area. The killers fled to Orakzai after the attack. March 2, Swat: A Frontier Corps Officer and four guards were abducted in Kambar area of Swat. March 2, Swat: Two Frontier Corps soldiers were killed in an attack on a security convoy in Kabal tehsil. The Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility. March 2, Kohat: JUI-F workers staged a demonstration and blocked the Indus Highway for 30 minutes to protest arrests of its members for links to the militants. March 2, Dir: Dir taliban threatened to carry out suicide attacks if the district administration in Doog Darra did not stop organizing volunteers to expel them from the area. March 3, Swat: The Frontier Corps Officer and guards abducted on March 2 were released and reached Mingora safely. March 3, Kohat: Four persons were kidnapped by suspected militants near Darra Adam Khel. March 4, Swat: Suspected taliban ambushed a security vehicle, killing two troops and injuring an officer in Matta Tehsil. A Taliban spokesman stated that security forces are making movements without any prior information, which force Taliban to carry out attacks. March 4, Swat: Sufi Mohammad called the arrest of a TTP activist against the peace deal he had signed with the NWFP government last month. March 4, Swat: Militants killed two soldiers and kidnapped two Anti-Corruption Department officials who were later released. March 4, Mingora, Swat: Locals say that militants, openly carrying weapons, have been roaming free and have moved into Mingora. March 4, Nowshera: Four unidentified bodies presumed to be foreign militants who had been killed 72 hours earlier were recovered in the Babu Khwar Muslimabad area. March 5, Mingora: TNSM gave the provincial government a 17 point demand for regulating local society with the complete implementation of shari'a law to come into effect from March 16 (Ref B). March 5, Mingora: Security forces have started pulling out from TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah's old headquarters in Imam Dheri to Kanju, the headquarters of the Frontier Constabulary. March 5, Peshawar: A police officer was killed and two persons injured in an attempted kidnapping on University Road in Peshawar. FATA - - - ¶5. (U) The following is a roundup of incidents of talibanization in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Frontier Regions: February 28, Khyber: Two Khassadars were killed and another kidnapped at a check post in the agency. March 4, Khyber: Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) distributed pamphlets demanding the Khyber Khassadar Force vacate all checkpoints along the Pak-Afghan Highway and that this was their final warning before serious consequences. March 5, Bara: The Frontier Corps suspended the distribution of relief goods and medical treatment following militant threats by loudspeakers warning people not to receive any relief goods. Security forces shifted the relief operation to another location in the area. Government Response - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (U) This is a summary of government responses to "creeping talibanization" according to press and consulate contacts: February 28, Peshawar: The NWFP government Information minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, said the Provincial government would enforce Niam-i-Adl regulation (Shari'a) in letter and spirit as promised with the Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM) chief, Sufi Mohammad. March 2, Kohat: Security forces killed seven militants in a gun battle in Ghurzandi area of Lachi Tehsil and arrested two activists of the Jamaat-iUlema-i-Islam-Fazl. March 2, Mohmand: Militant "hideouts" shelled in Mohmand by security forces from Ghallanai and the Bhai Dag camp. March 3, Khyber: Security forces arrested three men during a raid on a house in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber for alleged links to the taliban. March 3, Swat: NWFP Chief Minister Hoti reportedly stated that girls would have access to schooling, but must wear the "proper and required dress, which is a culture of this province and [within] Islamic norms." Some girls' schools have reopened since the cease-fire. March 3, Swat: Commissioner received from Sufi Mohammad a list of prisoners who would be released in phases after scrutiny by the government as part of the Swat peace agreement. March 4, Khyber: Hundreds of people in Jamrud and Landikotal came to Frontier Corps relief camps to collect food items and medicines furnished by Frontier Corps. March 4, Peshawar: NWFP Inspector General of Police Malik Naveed has directed the police department to further enhance their intelligence network and to provide further security to foreigners working on different projects in the province. March 5, Hangu: The government has completed repair work on two schools in Zargari and Shinwari villages of Hangu which had been damaged during military operations. TRACY