Pakistan
As the United States military continues battling the Taliban in Afghanistan, the border regions of Pakistan remain an increasingly important variable in the prospects for long-term success in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Top Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders have established strongholds in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and Baluchistan Province – all areas from which militants launch attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. In this sub-section, the Critical Threats Project explores these and other issues in several in-depth pieces.
Pakistan Security Brief
Pakistan Security Brief: Daily tracking summarizing developments related to the security situation in Pakistan.
Analysis
FATA operations after South Waziristan: A new CTP report looks at recent and ongoing operations in the FATA since the end of major fighting in South Waziristan.
The Death of Hakimullah Mehsud: CTP looks at the circumstances surrounding Hakimullah's death, his potential successors, and the future of the TTP.
Phase 1 Analysis: Operation Rah-e-Nijat: A CTP briefing examining the end of the major combat phase of Pakistani military operations in South Waziristan and looking at what may lie ahead.
Waziristan Ground Operation Coverage: The Critical Threats team catalogues and provides background material on the Pakistani military's operation in South Waziristan.
War-gaming the Afghan Taliban: An assessment of the challenges that Pakistan’s security forces would face in an effort to target Afghan-focused insurgent groups.
Pakistan's war against Islamists: A look at the new Pakistani offensive in South Waziristan and what the U.S. reaction to that needs to be.
Hakimullah Mehsud: A look at the Taliban succession crisis following Beitullah’s death, Hakimullah’s subsequent rise to power and the challenges the TTP now faces.
Pakistani Military Options: An assessment of the different strategic options available for the Pakistani military to pursue in the aftermath of Beitullah Mehsud’s demise.
Beitullah Mehsud’s Death: An analysis of the circumstances surrounding the TTP chief’s death and its possible implications for the leadership of the Pakistani Taliban.
Pakistani Military OrBat: An Order of Battle listing Pakistani military units and their deployments in the FATA and NWFP specifically, and in the rest of the country in general.
Punjabi Taliban: An exploration of the increasing entry of the Taliban into Pakistan's core Punjab region.
MapS
FATA Conflict Maps: CTP has produced several maps of areas undergoing military operations. Detailed here are maps of the NWFP and FATA, and close-ins of Orakzai, Kurram and Bajaur agencies.
2009 Waziristan Conflict Map: Militant strongholds, military base locations, key contested areas and week-by-week listings of all incidences of violence relating to the insurgency in the FATA.
Biographies
Hakimullah Mehsud: A look at the Taliban succession crisis following Beitullah’s death, Hakimullah’s subsequent rise to power and the challenges the TTP now faces.
Turkistan Bhittani: A profile of the colorful ‘pro-government’ militant commander from South Waziristan who continues to pose a threat to the Pakistani Taliban.
Hafiz Gul Bahadur: A backgrounder on the most senior Taliban commander in North Waziristan and the principal host of the Haqqani network in Pakistan.
Maulvi Nazir Ahmad: An in-depth look at the second most important Taliban leader in South Waziristan; both the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Taliban are sparring for his support.
Qari Zainuddin Mehsud: An examination of the now-deceased leader of the anti-Baitullah-Mehsud Abdullah Mehsud group.
IN THIS SECTION
The FATA Conflict after South Waziristan: Pakistan’s War against Militants Continues in Orakzai, Kurram, Bajaur, and North Waziristan
