Militants loyal to anti-Uzbek commander Mullah Nazir have warned Wazir elders against sheltering Uzbeks in South Waziristan. A tribal jirga of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes will meet today (Friday) in Wana to discuss the issue. “The Taliban are angry at the presence of Uzbeks being hosted by some elders and they demand action against such people,” a tribal elder told Daily Times after attending a jirga in Wana, regional headquarters of South Waziristan, on Thursday. According to the elder, the Taliban told the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes they had reports that Uzbek militants were “still being sheltered in Wazir areas” and if locals harbour rather than expel them they would take action.
Mullah Nazir led a drive against Uzbek militants in March this year. More than 200 militants from Uzbekistan were killed while others fled, some taking shelter in Mehsud areas of South Waziristan and the rest in North Waziristan. The Uzbeks have been accused of target-killings, kidnapping, vehicle snatching, and running private jails. “At Wednesday’s jirga, the Taliban threatened to name the elders sheltering Uzbeks. However, some elders advised the Taliban against naming them,” the elder said.
He said if the Taliban had named the people suspected of sheltering Uzbeks, it would have led to serious consequences. Suspects could have retaliated, and there would have been bloodshed, he said. “We advised the Taliban against taking names before the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes take a unanimous decision on the issue,” the tribal elder said. Tribal sources said that Mullah Nazir suspects family members and relatives of Wazir commanders. Commanders Haji Umar, Noor Islam, Javed Karmazkhel, Maulvi Abbas and Ghulam Jan sided with the Uzbeks. “The families must be in touch with these people and this angers the Taliban,” said sources who requested anonymity. Mullah Jinnah Mir, pro-Mullah Nazir commander, told the jirga on Thursday that Ahmedzai Wazir tribes were under obligation to protect their areas against “the evils,” a reference to Uzbek militants and their local supporters.
Sources said Mullah Nazir was reinforcing his position and that his complete control over the areas had led to increased economic activities. “I am selling thousands of litres of fuel every day, which was not the case since 2004 when militants and security forces began fighting each other,” said a petrol pump owner.
The Uzbeks or the commanders supporting them, the sources opined, would find it “extremely difficult” to stage a comeback against Mullah Nazir, who denies that the army had supported him in his drive against the Uzbeks.