AF/pak/iraq – military sweep pakistan

AF/PAK/IRAQ – MILITARY SWEEP

 

PAKISTAN

 

· It has been revealed that containers delivering supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan via Chaman, are being forced to pay up to 40,000 rupees each. Protesting against the payment of extortion, drivers have sought protection. They say not only the criminals at private check posts but also other check posts including those of police, Levies, Frontier Corps, and customs are extorting huge sums of money from them. They also complained that no protection is being provided to them. That is why they have parked the NATO containers here in protest and have halted supply to Afghanistan for the first time. – Geo

 

· Pakistan’s refusal to attack militants in a notorious sanctuary on its northwest border may have created a magnet there for hundreds of Islamic fighters seeking a safe haven where they can train and organize attacks against NATO forces in Afghanistan.  A growing number of senior United States intelligence and counterinsurgency officials say that by bunching up there, insurgents are ultimately making it easier for American drone strikes to hit them from afar.  With several hundred insurgents largely bottled up there, and with few worries about accidentally hitting Pakistani soldiers battling militants or civilians fleeing a combat zone, the Central Intelligence Agency’s drones have attacked targets in North Waziristan with increasing effectiveness and have degraded Al Qaeda’s ability to carry out a major attack against the United States, the senior officials said.  “In some ways, it’s to our benefit to keep them bottled up, mostly in North Waziristan,” said a senior intelligence official. “This is not intentional. That wasn’t the design to bottle them up. That’s just where they are, and they’re there for a reason. They don’t have a lot of options.”  Another senior administration official added, “We’d still prefer the Pakistani Army to operate in North Waziristan, but consolidating the insurgents in one place is not such a bad thing.”  American intelligence officials say that pressure from the airstrikes has forced small numbers of Haqqani fighters and other militants to slip into other tribal areas, including Kurram and South Waziristan. “The Haqqanis aren’t stupid,” one counterterrorism official said. “They’re feeling some serious pressure in North Waziristan, so it should come as no surprise that they’re looking for places they might think are safer.” - NYT

 

· About 400 suspects were arrested in a search operation by Rangers in the Faqir Colony area of Orangi Town in Karachi early Tuesday morning.  Large contingents of Rangers entered the colony and conducted a door to door search operation. The suspects were detained and shifted to an unknown place for interrogation. Roads leading to and from Orangi Town have also been closed.  Due to the recent wave of target killings in Karachi, Rangers have been given police powers to conduct search operations, set up check points and detain and investigate suspects in the city. - Express Tribune

 

· Police arrested three suspects in Sohbatpur area of Jaffarabad district and recovered about 135 kg explosive material from their possession on Tuesday.  Sources said acting on a tip-off, a police party headed by the Station House Officer raided a house and arrested three suspects besides recovering about 135-kg explosive material from their possession. - Associated Press of Pakistan

 
 

AFGHANISTAN

 

· In Farah province, Afghan and coalition forces targeted a Taliban leader, detaining several suspected insurgents during a security operation.  The security force targeted the Taliban leader who is involved in acquiring and emplacing improvised explosive devices in Khak-e Safayd and Pusht-e Rod districts. He is subordinate to the district Taliban shadow governor. He was involved with the kidnapping of two local Afghans in the area according to recent reporting.  Security forces followed leads to the target locations in Pusht-e Rod district, where Afghan and coalition forces conducted a search after securing the targeted locations. Several suspected insurgents were detained after initial questioning at the targeted locations. The security force discovered an AK-47, multiple grenades, a chest rack, ammunition and a Taliban night letter. - ISAF

 

· In Kandahar province Afghan and coalition forces targeted a Taliban leader detaining several suspected insurgents during a security operation.  The security force targeted the Taliban leader who operates within Maiwand district. He is responsible for coordinating attacks, gathering intelligence and movement of supplies to support Taliban insurgent activity. He is associated with Pakistan-based Taliban leadership. Recent reporting indicates he observed a possible IED attack in the area.  Security forces followed leads to the target location in the district, where Afghan and coalition forces conducted a search after securing the compound. Several suspected insurgents were detained after initial questioning at the scene. - ISAF

 

· In Nangarhar province, Afghan and coalition forces targeted a Taliban weapons and finance facilitator in Behsud district detaining one suspected insurgent during a joint security operation.  The Taliban facilitator operates within the Sherzad district where he is responsible for direct fire attacks against coalition forces and aircraft in Tutu village. He organizes, sells and distributes weapons, narcotics and funds for Taliban insurgents in the region.  Security forces followed leads to a series of buildings in Behsud district. Afghan forces called for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully before conducting a search of the buildings. The security force detained one suspected insurgent after initial questioning for involvement in insurgent activities. - ISAF

· In Paktiya province, Afghan and coalition forces targeted the Gardez Taliban leader detaining one suspected insurgent during a security operation.  The targeted Taliban leader is involved in IED attacks on coalition forces in Gardez district. He is also associated with other Taliban leaders in the province. Recent reporting indicates he was involved with an insurgent who placed an IED targeting the Afghan National Police in the area.  Following intelligence leads, security forces targeted a compound in Gardez district, where Afghan forces called for all occupants to exit out of the buildings peacefully before conducting a search. The security team detained one suspected insurgent based on initial questioning at the scene. The insurgent was detained with an automatic weapon, a pistol, chest rack and ammunition. - ISAF

 

· Afghan and coalition forces detained a Haqqani Network leader along with several suspected insurgents during a security operation in Khost province yesterday.  The Haqqani Network leader was responsible for conducting ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces operating in Khost and Terayzai districts of the province. He reported directly to other Haqqani Network leaders in the area.  Security forces followed leads to a targeted location in Khost district, where Afghan forces called for all occupants to exit out of the buildings peacefully before conducting a search. The Haqqani Network leader self identified himself to the security force and was detained. The security team detained several suspected insurgents based on initial questioning at the scene. - ISAF

 

· The International Security Assistance Force confirmed Mohammad Gul, a Taliban facilitator and Abdul Ghafar, a Taliban leader were killed during an Afghan and coalition operations in Wardak province Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 respectively. - ISAF

 

· Coalition forces in western Kandahar province completed Operation Aero Hunter Jan. 13.  The operation consisted of two phases. The first part was a patrol to flush insurgents out of a village. The second, to implement a series of snap vehicle checkpoints along Route 1 near Forward Operating Base Ramrod.  During the first stage of the mission, Lima Company Marines supported 2 Scots as they patrolled and were there to catch any suspicious vehicles if they tried to leave the area, explained Marine 2nd Lt. John Howarth, a platoon commander with Lima Company.  During the second stage, Lima Company Marines landed and stopped six cars along Route 1 at three separate VCPs. Though the Marines didn’t find anything suspicious in the vehicles, they were able to make the coalition presence known in the area. - ISAF

 

· Taleban report: Zormat District of Paktia Province, nine American soldiers have been either killed or wounded in a powerful explosion inside their base in the Mamozai area.  The explosion was caused by a magnetic mine, which had been placed inside a supply vehicle.  The remote-controlled explosion took place after the lorry was parked near the area inside the base where the foreign forces were staying. The explosion was so powerful that it could be heard in far away areas.  According to eyewitnesses, five American soldiers were killed and four others seriously wounded as a result of the powerful explosion. The building inside the base has also been damaged.  Two ambulance helicopters arrived in the area and transferred the casualties to their centres after the explosion. - Voice of Jihad website

 

· Taleban report: An explosion took place in the Dolani area of the centre of Parwan Province at 1100 [local time] today, as a result of which, Zaher, a prosecutor, and his bodyguard soldier were seriously wounded.  The vehicle of the prosecutor was totally destroyed in the explosion.  Extra soldiers arrived in the area later who came under armed attack by the mojahedin. Two soldiers were killed as a result.  Aircraft arrived in the area and were flying over the surrounding areas, however the mojahedin left the area safely. - Voice of Jihad website

 

· Taleban report: Fierce fighting took place after the mojahedin carried out an armed attack on the American soldiers while they were walking on the banks of the Boghra canal in the Sewyak Gharbi area of Nad-e Ali District of Helmand Province at lunchtime today.  Face-to-face fighting took place with the enemy soon after the attack, which lasted about an hour. One American soldier was killed and another wounded in the fighting. - Voice of Jihad website

 

· Afghan officials say 50 Taliban fighters have laid down their arms to join the government in northern Afghanistan.  Kunduz province police chief Abdul Rahman Sayedkhaili says 10 or 15 militants at a time have switched sides in recent months, but that on Tuesday, 50 Taliban fighters joined pro-government forces.  He says the Taliban — from Iman Sahib district — were being heavily pressured by Afghan and coalition forces.  Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid says he has no reports of any Taliban switching sides.  He says that even if they did, they might be just doing it temporarily because of the onset of winter, or as part of their own war tactics. He says more than 3,000 Taliban are actively fighting in the north. - AP

 
 

IRAQ

 

· The spokesman for Diyala police service said in ‘Ibara district within the province three wanted al-Qaeda members submitted themselves to the service Monday.  Speaking to AKnews, Ghalib ‘Atiya paid tribute to the call by the interior ministry for the move by the three al-Qaeda members. However, he did not reveal the names of the people. – Aknews

 

· At least 50 people were killed in a suicide bombing on Tuesday outside a police recruitment centre in the Iraqi city of Tirkit, security sources said.  A source said the bomber blew himself up outside the centre where hundreds of young people were lined up.  Another 150 people were injured in the explosion. – Alsumaria

 

· Eight persons were wounded on Tuesday in three explosions in southern Baghdad, according to a security source.  "An improvised explosive device went off Tuesday near a civilian vehicle, wounding three civilians in al-Iskan neighborhood in al-Doura region, southern Baghdad," the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.  "The second bomb exploded in al-Sidiya region, southern Baghdad, targeting a police vehicle patrol, injuring a civilian and a policeman and damaging the vehicle," he added.  "A Sahwa official survived an assassination attempt when a bomb exploded near his car, injuring two of his companions, who were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment," the source noted. - Aswat al-Iraq

 

· An official security source in Nineveh police, stated on Tuesday, that a civilian was killed and three policemen were wounded due to armed clashes between gunmen and police forces, west of Mosul.  The source who preferred anonymity, told AKnews, that the gunmen belong to the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, and the clashes took place in the Sinaa Qadima area.  The source, explained that the security forces arrested two militants from the armed group, and the police imposed a security cordon in the area, and imposed a temporary curfew. - AKnews

 


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Zac Colvin