EFL
Far from securing the area in the South Waziristan agency, ostensibly the reason for the recent military operations there, the Al Qaeda militants and their local sympathisers have begun to paralyse the civil administration by attacking government officials. Until last year Khasadars, the tribal police, could move about in the area without fear. The situation has changed since the last operation. Government officials and journalists travelling to the area are given police escorts for security reasons and no one travels alone. What is even more disheartening is the fact that policemen have cut down on their movements and when they do go out they wear plain clothes rather than don the militia suits, their uniform. âThey [Al Qaeda elements and their tribal supporters] will kill me if I am spotted in the official dress,â a Wazir tribal cop, attired in white-coloured civilian dress, told TFT during the journey between Tank and Wana. Many cops, including the one that escorted TFT to Wana, have been told to either quit or face death. âThese people consider us American agents. Many of my colleagues and I have got messages to reconsider government service,â this Khasadar jawan told TFT. âSince that day,â he says, âIâm taking extra care to avoid getting killed.â
| Having actually done something, no matter how ineffective, they're discovering that the Taliban runs things on both sides of the border and will brook no opposition... |
The level of security alert has gone up following the March 22nd surprise ambush on a military convoy in Sarwakai sub-division on the main Tank-Wana highway. The ambush killed 12 soldiers and the attackers destroyed around a dozen vehicles carrying supplies to the army base in Wana. Another eight soldiers, gone missing, were later killed in cold blood by the attackers. Their dead bodies were found five days after the incident. âThat incident has put us on high alert. The Al Qaeda is certainly not playing by the rules of Geneva Conventions,â an administration official told TFT in Wana.
Intelligence informers and officials face greater risk of being targeted. A secret agent Sher Nawaz was shot dead just outside his office in Wana. His death was blamed on Al Qaedaâs local supporters. A source told TFT that many intelligence officials have received threatening letters. An intelligence informer who received one such letter confirmed to TFT that the sender seemed to know much about him and his activities. âThe letter gave all the details about me and warned me against continuing with my work,â he told TFT. âWe cannot even go to Wana bazaar because of security risk,â he added. Officials in Peshawar admitted that restricted movement of intelligence informers had led to some fog about the activities of Al Qaeda and its sympathisers. While state security agents are restricted to Camp Base, an area constructed by the British that houses top political administration officials and military commanders, Al Qaeda militants and their informers are free to roam and do their own intelligence work. |