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2008-03-14 Afghanistan
Unprecedented Coalition strike nails the Haqqani Network in North Waziristan - Roggio
Hat Tip to Long War Journal

A decisive Coalition strike against a high-level meeting of Taliban linked insurgents on March 12 took place one and a half kilometers inside Pakistani territory, US military officials have confirmed to the Long War Journal. Several precision-guided munitions struck a compound owned by a senior member of the Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban splinter group who is based out of the Pakistani tribal state of North Waziristan, shortly after multiple intelligence sources confirmed a high level meeting of the group’s upper echelon was taking place in the compound. According to information made available to the Long War Journal, the owner of the compound and other Haqqani network leaders were in the compound at the time of the strike. Several other high level Haqqani commanders, including Sirajjudin Haqqani, had planned to attend this meeting, intelligence sources confirmed.

At 9:40 PM local time, US officials declared the group posed an imminent threat to forces inside Afghanistan and the call to strike the compound was made. After the orders were given to launch a coordinated strike, fixed wing and rotary wing air support along with Predator surveillance and recon began scanning likely insurgent attack positions inside Afghanistan. US military officials confirmed no women or children had been seen in the targeted North Waziristan compound or in any structures near it over the last five days.

Nearly four hours later, a salvo of indirect fire targeting the compound hit their mark, completely obliterating the building and killing an unknown number of people inside of it. Several insurgents working sentry posts around the compound were observed by aerial surveillance leaving the area on foot. Initial intelligence reports on March 12. Indicated three “high-level Haqqani network commanders” were killed and that “many” Chechen fighters also died in the blast.

The targeted strike inside Pakistani territory is the first public announcement by US military officials confirming the coordination of a cross-border attack. The attack is said to have occurred in the village of Lwara Mundi, a flashpoint for clashes between insurgents and security forces, according the AFP. Thousands of pro-Taliban insurgents, al Qaeda fighters, and tribal militias associated with the Taliban operate unhindered in the tribal states of western Pakistan, especially in their stronghold of North Wazristan. Previously, the Pakistani government has denied Coalition and NATO forces from conducting raids against targets inside Pakistani territory.

The attack on March 12 was quickly condemned by the Pakistani military, who claim the strike killed two Pakistani women and two children. Chief Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told reporters, “We have lodged a very strong protest with the coalition forces across the border. The US military has refused to comment on these claims, but intelligence reports strongly indicate no females or children were present in or near the compound at the time of the strike. The Pakistani military has denied commenting if insurgents were among the dead found in the rubble of the compound.

One night prior to the strike, Long War Journal correspondent Phil Peterson witnessed US military officials call off a targeted strike following intelligence reports that women and children were inside a house occupied by a high level insurgent commander. “I watched them pass on taking out some bad guys because they were in a compound with other people and there might also be collateral damage to the surrounding structures, possibly causing civilian deaths or injuries,” Phil recounted in an email from Bagram Air Force Base. “The intel was solid; they knew who the guys were and where exactly they were in the compound but they passed to get them another time.”

In late January, senior al Qaeda commander Abu Laith al Libi was killed during a missile strike in North Waziristan along with several Arab lieutenants. Al Libi was a top-tier al Qaeda leader and led the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which merged with al Qaeda in Nov. 2007. He attended a high level meeting among insurgents at a compound in Azam Warsak village in North Waziristan, a key al Qaeda controlled village since 2002. American al Qaeda representative, Adam Gadahn, may have also died in the same attack that killed al Libi, according to western sources who spoke to Pakistani news outlets.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-03-14 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11141 views ]  Top
 File under: Taliban 

#1 Now put a trace on the Paki military officers who are covering the a$$es of these miscreants. Let them have an accident in the countryside. Oh, and Nice Shooting SOCOM!
Posted by robjack01 2008-03-14 01:33||   2008-03-14 01:33|| Front Page Top

#2 Indirect fire? I wonder if they used those new guided artillery rounds? A battery of the new towed guns plus guided munitions could put down several rounds per gun all at one time (10-12 rounds). Nice!
Posted by tipover 2008-03-14 02:03||   2008-03-14 02:03|| Front Page Top

#3 Since the election, Punjabis have been attacking Waziris and Pashtos. I guess hunting season started yesterday.
Posted by McZoid 2008-03-14 05:41||   2008-03-14 05:41|| Front Page Top

#4 Four hour delay? Calling an attack because of women and children (which only guarantees the increased use of innocent hostage shields)? This is no way to win a war. We are going to have to get serious before we can win this and I shudder to think what it will take for us to get serious.
Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-03-14 07:47||   2008-03-14 07:47|| Front Page Top

#5 Do you think those A-holes are getting the feeling that they arent safe anywhere? If they aren't, they should be. Predator drones, satellites,snitches, cell phone traces, I hope they go insane from the pressure. Wait, what the hell am I saying? They already are insane, I hope they go more insane.
Posted by Ebboter Black6293 2008-03-14 08:17||   2008-03-14 08:17|| Front Page Top

#6 We get the point.

From now on, no meeting of any kind will be allowed in Lichtenstein unless women, children, and fluffy kittens are present, even if they are chained to the walls.
Posted by Creling Darling of the Lichtensteiners8341">Creling Darling of the Lichtensteiners8341  2008-03-14 08:46||   2008-03-14 08:46|| Front Page Top

#7 US military officials confirmed no women or children had been seen in the targeted North Waziristan compound or in any structures near it over the last five days.

The last five days? Were I on the far side of the observers, I'd be concerned.
Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife  2008-03-14 08:50||   2008-03-14 08:50|| Front Page Top

#8 Considering that some of the lions of pisslam like to wear burquas, how could they tell there were no women? It's not like the presence of facial hair on a burqua clad person is definitive in any way...
Posted by M. Murcek">M. Murcek  2008-03-14 09:01||   2008-03-14 09:01|| Front Page Top

#9 Nearly four hours later..

Had to get JAG approval first, did we?
Posted by Procopius2k 2008-03-14 10:27||   2008-03-14 10:27|| Front Page Top

#10 How does this cross dressing of the lions of islam play out against their homophobic tendencies?

Of course their tastes in pedophilia and beastiality are probably not up to snuff with the grand vizier either
Posted by Imperial Grand Sock Puppet 2008-03-14 13:07||   2008-03-14 13:07|| Front Page Top

#11 The next time, I think a flight of six BUFFs loaded to the gills with 500lb unguided iron bombs would make a greater impression, not only on the Taliban, but on the Pakistani military as well. Let them know just how barbaric we CAN be if we choose to be. Maybe the main target should be Rawalpindi, instead of some cluster of mud huts in the middle of nowhere, so the message gets seared - seared - in their brains.
Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot  2008-03-14 13:39|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]  2008-03-14 13:39|| Front Page Top

#12 I have to wonder if the Pakistani protests are to keep everybody guessing as to which side they're on. Or maybe it's just window dressing so they can maintain the fiction that they are in control of the tribal areas. Because, if they were in control, we'd have to bomb them too.
Posted by Abu Uluque (aka Ebbang Uluque6305) 2008-03-14 15:59||   2008-03-14 15:59|| Front Page Top

#13 if there women there they wheer prob associates of the ppl they where going after so that makes them just as guilty and the kids start fighting over there at like 12 years of age, in other words kill them all or they are going too be future militants anyway
Posted by sinse 2008-03-14 17:03||   2008-03-14 17:03|| Front Page Top

#14 
#8: Considering that some of the lions of pisslam like to wear burquas, how could they tell there were no women? It's not like the presence of facial hair on a burqua clad person is definitive in any way...


Probably by whether or not they peed standing up.
Posted by Abu do you love 2008-03-14 17:31||   2008-03-14 17:31|| Front Page Top

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