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| India-Pakistan |
| Crackdown on TNSM likely |
| 2007-07-10 |
| Following an attack on a military convoy that killed four troops, including a major and a lieutenant, army contingents have moved to Swat to apparently launch a military operation against the banned Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi, Daily Times learnt on Monday. The military is moving ahead from bunker to bunker to search for the “militants”, sources said. “The deployment of troops will be completed within two days and an operation against the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) is expected within a week,” they added. “For the first time we have seen such a huge army deployment in the Swat valley,” Ali Zaman, a resident of Chakdara, told Daily Times by phone. According to him the entire valley and Dir district were in the grip of fear. Swat District Coordination Officer Syed Muhammad Javed said the army had been called in to maintain law and order. “The district administration was left with no option but to call the army to curb growing militancy and attacks on officials of the law-enforcement agencies,” Javed said. “The army has been deployed at the airport, bridges and at government installations,” the DCO said. TNSM activists led by their acting Ameer Maulana Fazlullah have called the army deployment a violation of the peace deal signed by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)-led NWFP government and TNSM on May 22, 2007. The government had allowed Fazullah to continue to run his FM radio station. Fazlullah in return had agreed to support a polio vaccination campaign, education for girls and government efforts to maintain law and order in the district. He also agreed to shut all weapon-manufacturing units and training facilities for the militants. Recently, the maulana asked his followers through his illegal FM radio station to “carry out my mission in case I die in a military operation.” “We are not supporting the militants in Swat and will retaliate if the army attacks us,” he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 It's a swat down! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-07-10 03:51 |