12 militants apprehended in Kurram: Col Tauseef

	12 militants apprehended in Kurram: Col Tauseef
	Updated at: 2000 PST, Tuesday, December 01, 2009
	PARACHINAR: The security forces arrested 12 militants during a successful raid on a house at Badama area and recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition from their possession, commandant Kurram Militia Col. Tauseef Ahmed said on Tuesday. On a tip off about presence of militants at house at village Badama, the security forces conducted a successful raid on a house between Monday and Tuesday night and apprehended 12 militants. Huge quantity of arms and ammunition including rounds of different bore guns, mortar shells, anti tank mines, artillery shells and four kilogram opium. As many as 29 cottons of cigarettes have also been recovered. Col Tauseef told reporters that dozens of militants have been arrested and several were killed. The operation against militants will continue till their complete elimination, he added. Meanwhile in Bajaur Agency, the young nephew of PML-N Bajaur Agency president Haji Rahat Yousaf was shot dead by firing of unknown persons while he was proceeding to home after "Isha" prayer in Khar, headquarters of the agency.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=92570

Army says operation to be extended to Kurram

Tuesday, December 01, 2009 Nasrullah Afridi BARA: The ongoing operation in Khyber and Orakzai tribal regions will be extended to neighbouring Kurram Agency to crush militants and miscreants. Briefing reporters about the operation ‘Khwakh Ba De Sham’ (I will fix you) at Fort Salop camp on Monday, Sector Commander Brigadier Fayyaz Mehmood said that 61 militants had been killed and 87 arrested while 27 vehicles owned by insurgents were destroyed during the ongoing operation in Bara tehsil of Khyber tribal region so far. “We have broken the back of militants and made Peshawar and other parts of the country safe and secure because of the decisive operation in Bara subdivision in Khyber and Ferozkhel area of Orakzai Agency,” Brigadier Fayyaz said, adding that militants were on the run as they could not face the security forces. He said the security forces had secured the strongholds of militants in Chappari Ferozkhel in Orakzai and Gurguri area in Khyber Agency. The officer added that the Khyber Agency-based banned outfit Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh was hiding in the mountains of tribal regions but he would not be spared. He said the operation would continue till complete elimination of militants from the region. Meanwhile, the security forces arrested 67 suspected persons during search operation in Sipah area in Bara tehsil on Sunday. The sources said that the security forces carried search operation in Sipah area on the second day of Eidul Azha and arrested 67 suspected persons. Hazrat Khan of banned LI, chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Khyber Agency chapter Shah Faisal Afridi and president of Khidmat-e-Khalq Committee Ikhtiar Badshah Afridi were among the arrested persons. The security forces also seized an abandoned vehicle that was packed with explosives in Kamarkhel area in Bara tehsil. The security forces later torched the vehicle which exploded with a huge blast.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=211011

Pakistani army kills 17 militants in new raid

Pakistani army kills 17 militants in new raid

Tue, 01 Dec 2009

A Pakistan soldier stands alert as a helicopter takes off in Ladha, a town in the tribal region of South Waziristan.

The Pakistani security forces say they have killed 17 pro-Taliban militants and injured several others in the northwestern Kurram tribal region.

“The security forces launched a pre-dawn attack against the militants in Dola Ragha area of central Kurram agency on Monday and have so far killed some 17 pro-Taliban militants,” a senior government official in the area told the Press TV correspondent Monday evening in a phone interview.

During the onslaught, the army also destroyed five of the militants' vehicles, including one belonging to one of their commanders.

Heavy artillery and helicopter gunships were used to hit suspected militants in the Kurram district, said Maj. Fazlur Rehman, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps. He said the militants arriving recently from nearby South Waziristan were the targets.

Meanwhile, a military statement said on Monday that nine suspects have been arrested during the latest round of search and clearance operations in Badama area of central Kurram agency.

According to another report, the Pakistani army has managed to kill over 600 militants in pitched battles during the six weeks since the offensive began in the South Waziristan tribal region along the border with Afghanistan. So far, seventy soldiers have also been killed, Press TV correspondent reported, quoting a military spokesman Athar Abbas.

Abbas said that the security forces would continue attacking the extremists fleeing from South Waziristan to Orakzai and Khyber Agency.

The army deployed 30,000 troops against the pro-Taliban militants in South Waziristan in mid-October and has retaken many towns in the region.

FTP/MB

source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=112552&sectionid=351020401

Police arrests 2 terrorists in Peshawar

Police arrests 2 terrorists in Peshawar

Upadated on: 30 Nov 09 09:39 PM

Staff Report PESHAWAR: The Peshawar police arrested two terrorists from the Sarband region of Peshawar and confiscated a large amount of explosives and suicide jackets from them, said sources in the police Monday. A large amount of explosives were being transferred from Barra checkpost to Peshawar. During this exercise, the police arrested Gul Zameer and Abdul Rehman. They belonged to Kurram Agency and Hangu respectively. They confessed that they were planning to carry out acts of sabotage and terrorism in Peshawar. The CCPO Peshawar told the media that the terrorists are now heading towards Peshawar due to the operation. The officials have arrested several suicide bombers and terrorists. SAMAA source: http://www.samaa.tv/News15056-Police_arrests_2_terrorists_in_Peshawar.aspx

Ten suspected militants killed in Kurram Agency

Ten suspected militants killed in Kurram Agency

Monday, 30 Nov, 2009

Security forces target militants in South Waziristan during a military operation. – Reuters (File Photo)

PESHAWAR: At least ten suspected militants have been reportedly killed and several injured as security forces targeted militant hideouts in Kurram Agency. Meanwhile, ten suspects have also been arrested from Swat and Waziristan.

According to official sources, security forces have destroyed five vehicles of militants including one belonging to an important commander.

Sources said that strict searches are being conducted at checkpoints and various pickets have been established in the agency.

Moreover, an ISPR press release says nine suspects have been arrested during the latest round of operation Rah-e-Rast from near Pallai, while another suspect has been arrested from South Waziristan.

source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-ten-suspected-militants-killed-in-kurram-agency-ss-05

Kurram students demand reopening of Parachinar road

Saturday, November 28, 2009 PESHAWAR: Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) has demanded of the government to open the Parachinar-Peshawar Road immediately. A meeting to this effect, held at the ground of Hostel No 3, was attended by 500 students belonging to the Kurram Agency. The prominent among them were ISO President Saqib Bangash, General Secretary Mujib Agha, Information Secretary Muhammad Hasnain, Adil Bangash, Ali Naqvi, Saqib Bangash, Sadiq Bangash and Ali Turi. Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said most of the students were unable to go to their homes for Eid celebration because of the blockade of the Peshawar-Parachinar Road for the last five years. They said only officials were allowed to travel on the road. The general public has the only option of Afghanistan route but that too was closed. Moreover, they said, some students were kidnapped in the past while travelling on the Afghanistan route. source; http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=210751

Security forces capture training centre in Kurram

Friday, 27 Nov, 2009

Security forces stand armed in South Waziristan region. – Reuters (File Photo)

PESHAWAR: Security forces on Friday took over an important militant training centre in lower Kurram Agency and cut off link routes to Orakzai Agency.

According to official sources, during the military operation against militants in Kurram, security forces secured Badama and Taindo villages. They also arrested a number of local and foreignl militats from the area. Link routes from check posts inside Kurram to Orakzai agency have also been cut off in order to stop fleeing militants from infiltrating the area.

Security forces also took over an important training center comprising three bunkers of TTP Cheif Hakimullah Mahsud in Shash area of lower Kurram and recovered important documents, explosives and land mines.

=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-security-forces-capture-training-centre-in-kurram-ss-04

Friday, November 27, 2009

Kurram residents remain delinked from country on Eid!

By: Javaid-ur-rahman | Published: November 27, 2009

ISLAMABAD – Just like on Eid-ul-Fitr, hundreds of residents of the restive Kurram Agency may not be able to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their loved ones due to the continued blockade of the only road that links the area with the rest of the country.

It is appalling that Pakistanis belong to Parachinar, Headquarter of Kurram agency, have to adopt the route through Afghanistan to reach areas in their own country, as the Thall-Parachanar road is unofficially under the control of a handful of militants, which compels the residents of the area to use the Afghanistan route.
“Every person can’t take risk to go from this long and risky as well as expensive way as residents of these areas have to go in shape of caravans,” said Ali Toori, a resident of Parachinar living in Islamabad for his job, while talking to TheNation.
People belonging to Kurram Agency working in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have a deep sense of insecurity and are posing questions about the tall claims of President Asif Ali Zardari to plan arrangements for the people of the area.
It is pertinent to note here that when the residents of Parachinar staged protests outside the Judges Colony in Islamabad against improper arrangements of traveling, Minister for Interior Rehman Malik assured them proper arrangements only after one week. The situation is still the same, and many are leaving for their hometown with a sense of insecurity and paying fares of Rs. 3,000, said Maqdad Hussain, a resident of Kurrram Agency, adding that many people including students, jobbers and others are not going due to expensive traveling as the normal fare is not more than Rs. 300.
President Asif Ali Zardari had announced the launch of aerial service between Peshawar and Parachinar but it has not materialised yet, he added.

source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/27-Nov-2009/Kurram-residents-remain-delinked-from-country-on-Eid

Taliban regrouping in Orakzai, Kurram: NYT

Taliban regrouping in Orakzai, Kurram: NYT

Friday, November 27, 2009

* Villagers report influx of Taliban fleeing military offensive in SWA * Armed Taliban set up checkpoints, patrolling Kurram, Orakzai

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The Taliban are fleeing the military offensive in South Waziristan Agency for nearby districts and setting up new strongholds, the New York Times said on Thursday, suggesting that the terrorists would regroup and continue to threaten the country.

The NYT said the Taliban had escaped mainly to Kurram and Orakzai agencies, currently outside the area of the military operation.

Quoting villagers, the paper said the military lacked significant presence in these areas, allowing the Taliban “an ideal environment” to regroup. The newly-arrived Taliban have reportedly terrorised local Pashtuns and “replenished their coffers through kidnappings and robberies, villagers told the NYT in Kurram and Orakzai.

“With AK-47s and rocket launchers slung over their shoulders, the militants have begun patrols through the new territory and have set up checkpoints,” the paper said.

“They come to our houses and terrorise us,” Fareedullah, a student in Weedara in central Kurram told the paper. “They are abducting our elders and stealing our cars. We have no way of rising up against them, and there’s no government here to help us ... Kurram is in trouble.”

The military says that after five weeks of onslaught, it is in the final stages of crushing the Taliban in South Waziristan.

At the onset of the assault, the military estimated resistance from up to 10,000 battle-hardened Taliban, but so far, the army has put the number of Taliban killed at 500.

Still, military commanders say they are ahead of schedule and plan to conclude the offensive before the winter sets in.

Military leaders say dislodging the Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters from their strongholds would be enough to “neutralise” them.

“Once dislodged, they will be disorganised,” Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said. “Their actions will not have that kind of coordination which was displayed when they were attacking our cities and towns.”

Experts say the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists fled South Waziristan easily because the government and the military announced the planned offensive in the agency weeks before troops actually moved in.

“The strategy has been bad,” Imtiaz Gul, a security analyst based in Islamabad, told NYT. “You don’t carry out operations after making such announcements. This area gives them huge space for mobility. So when crunch time comes, they can disperse to safer places, regroup, reorganise and hit the state somewhere else.”

source; http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\11\27\story_27-11-2009_pg7_6

Weapons recovered in Kurram Agency

Weapons recovered in Kurram Agency

Friday, November 27, 2009

PARACHINAR: The security forces captured a training centre of militants and seized weapons in Shasho, lower part of Kurram Agency, Thursday. Talking to reporters, Kurram Militia Commandant Col Tausif Akhter said some 40 militants had attacked the security forces’ convoy in Shasho area in lower part of Kurram when they were on their way to Parachinar recently. The security forces, he said, later came to know through intelligence sources that there was a huge training complex of militants in the area. The official added the security forces raided the training centre and recovered arms including landmine, explosives, training materials and jihad literature. He said the security forces also found dead bodies in the compound. Later, the reporters were taken to Shasho, Badama and Tindo areas, which had been cleared of militants during the operation.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=210643