Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief –November 19, 2009

TTP spokesman Azam Tariq met with reporters in South Waziristan to refute the military’s claims of success, Tariq also declared a guerilla war against security forces; nineteen people were killed in the latest suicide bombing at a courthouse in Peshawar; a suspected drone strike occurred in North Waziristan on Thursday; twenty-three militants were killed in airstrikes and shellings in Kurram, Hangu and Orakzai Agencies, a militant commander from South Waziristan was killed in one of the strikes.     

• Only twenty-four hours after the Pakistani military flew a number of journalists into South Waziristan to show the Army’s progress in the operation, Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) representatives also met with journalists in South Waziristan to refute the Army’s claims.  Azam Tariq, the TTP spokesman, challenged the Amry’s claims by saying that “We have not been defeated.  We have voluntarily withdrawn into the mountains under a strategy that will trap the Pakistan army in the area.”[1]

• Nineteen people were killed in the most recent suicide attack at a courthouse in Peshawar on Thursday.  This is the seventh bombing to occur in Peshawar in the last two weeks.  The death toll is believed to have risen to over eighty people.  The bomber arrived at the courthouse in a taxi and detonated the explosives when he was being searched by security guards.[2]

• Four militants were killed and five wounded from the latest suspected drone strike in Shanakhora village in North Waziristan.  Senior Pakistani security officials have confirmed that two missiles were fired at a compound in the area on Thursday.[3]   

• Twenty-three militants were killed in airstrikes and artillery shellings of militant positions in Orakzai, Hangu and Kurram Agencies.  Umer Khatab Mehsud, a militant commander from South Waziristan, was killed in the strike in Kurram Agency.[4]