Taliban militants gearing up for attacks across Pak: Report

War on Terror

24 Jul 2008, NewAgeIslam.Com

Taliban militants gearing up for attacks across Pak: Report

ISLAMABAD: The Taliban in Pakistan are gearing up for attacks across the country in the wake of an army operation against militants in the North West Frontier Province that has resulted in the killing of 15 rebels.   Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud held a meeting at an undisclosed location in the North Waziristan tribal region a few days ago to discuss ways to "occupy territories" in the NWFP and carry out terrorist activities across Pakistan.   Eight militant commanders were delegated the responsibility of carrying out attacks. A group led by commander Awal Khan was set up to generate funds for the militants. Another two groups were formed under commander Mullah Mansoor, the Daily Times newspaper reported on Sunday.   The Pakistan Army launched an operation against the Taliban in Hangu district of NWFP last week after militants killed 15 paramilitary personnel in an ambush.   Fifteen militants have been killed since the crackdown began.   Maulana Fazlullah, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban in the Swat valley of NWFP and a deputy of Baitullah Mehsud, also held a meeting on Saturday with 50 militant commanders in Matta sub-district and discussed a "war strategy" to confront the government, media reports said.   Baitullah Mehsud warned the NWFP government on Thursday to resign within five days or face the consequences. The provincial government dismissed his threat, saying it had been given a mandate by the people to serve a five-year term.   Fazlullah, also known as Mullah Radio for his fiery sermons on an illegal FM station, assigned tasks to his commanders and directed them to hit various targets in case the peace deal signed with the NWFP government in May is scrapped.   The Taliban in Swat threatened that they would abduct more security personnel to force the release of their comrades. They also refused to set free two police officials they had kidnapped recently.   "When our central chief Baitullah Mehsud would order attacks, we would resume our militant activities," Muslim Khan, the Taliban spokesman in Swat, told reporters. Asked whether such activities would be limited to Swat valley, Khan said this would depend on the instructions of Baitullah Mehsud.   "We could expand our area of operations if he ordered so," he said.   Khan said the agreement between the militants and the NWFP government is still intact as Baitullah Mehsud had not yet ordered that it should be scrapped.   "The government released only 16 Taliban prisoners and that too through the painful judicial process, but arrested 11 of our colleagues at check posts and other raids after the agreement," Khan said.   "We only retaliated (against) the government action. We would continue to kidnap the security forces in future," he said. 20 July 2008 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Taliban_militants_gearing_up_for_attacks_across_Pak_Report/articleshow/3255327.cms      Pak pounds Taliban hideout, militants threaten to kill hostages 20 July 2008, 1244 hrs IST,PTI   ISLAMABAD: The Taliban on Sunday threatened to execute 29 hostages if the Pakistan government did not halt an operation against them after security forces pounded their hideouts with helicopter gunships following an overnight attack on a fort in the restive North West Frontier Province.   Three Frontier Corps personnel were injured when Taliban fighters attacked the paramilitary fort in Torawari area of Hangu district.   Following the assault on the outpost, security forces used mortars and gunship helicopters to pound militant hideouts in nearby areas, officials were quoted as saying by TV channels.   The gunship helicopters also struck Taliban positions at three places in the Kurram tribal agency, which borders Hangu district. Reports said a civilian was injured in the attacks.   Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar told reporters on phone that the militants would start killing the 29 government employees and security personnel abducted by them if the NWFP government fails to recall the army from Hangu district where it had launched the operation, codenamed Zarb-e-Kaleem, after the Taliban killed 15 paramilitary personnel.   Omar said a jirga headed by Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud would set a date for executing the hostages one-by-one if the government failed to meet the demands of the militants. The hostages are in a "safe place", he said.   The Taliban took the 29 people hostage last week before the NWFP government called in the military to launch an operation against the militants in Hangu. Click here to comment on this story.