You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
India-Pakistan
Jihadis fleeing drone strikes in Waziristan
2011-01-17
Extensive CIA-operated Predator drone strikes against remote hide-outs of al Qaeda, the Taliban and other groups in Pakistan are forcing many insurgents out of Waziristan to other areas.

Sources in the North Waziristan tribal region, suggest that because of a fear of being targeted, fewer insurgents are showing up in the main bazaars of North Waziristan, when previously they boldly roamed in large groups.

"Obviously, due to lack of coordination, insurgents cannot carry on with and expand their main activities, including recruiting, training more militants and executing terrorist attacks through them," Mr. Ali said.
Drone attacks have clearly unnerved both al Qaeda and Pakistani insurgents in the tribal areas," said Ashraf Ali, who heads Islamabad-based FATA Research Center. "What we have observed [is] that these hits have compelled insurgents to limit the use of communication gadgets, like satellite phones, etc."

Mr. Ali said militants who are located in different areas and even those in Waziristan can no longer travel for face-to-face meetings with fellow insurgents, causing their coordination to suffer.

"Obviously, due to lack of coordination, insurgents cannot carry on with and expand their main activities, including recruiting, training more militants and executing terrorist attacks through them," Mr. Ali said.

"The few big terrorist attacks we have seen in the northern tribal districts of FATA, including Khyber, Bajaur and Mohmand recently are seemingly incoherent, isolated incidents aimed at [pressuring] the government to ask the U.S. to stop drone attacks."

Knowledgeable sources in Pakistan also said the insurgents think the significant rise in U.S.-led drone attacks is being assisted by the infiltration of spies into insurgent ranks, resulting in an extreme caution in their efforts to recruit new fighters.
Posted by:trailing wife

#2  OTOH TOPIX > PAKISTAN: MILITARY OFFENSIVES ARE "TOO EXPENSIVE".

and

* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > PAKISTAN: NORTH WAZIRISTAN OFFENSIVE PLACED INDEFINITELY ON HOLD.

Taken collectively, ARTICS > IIUC ISLAMABAD = PAK GOVT-ARMY is indir refusing to directly attack MilTerr strongholds in North Waziristan unless the US = US-NATO expressly pays for same.

ARTIC(S) also read, PAK OFFICIOS + MIL BIGWIGS WANT TO BE BRIBED BY US???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-01-17 23:55  

#1  resulting in an extreme caution in their efforts to recruit new fighters

Starve them on one end, kill them on the other.
Posted by: gorb   2011-01-17 14:44  

00:00