Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief – November 5, 2009

The military continues its almost three week old operation into South Waziristan to root out TTP militants; twenty-eight militants were killed in the latest day of fighting; four suspected militants were killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan Agency; a girls school was blown up by militants in Khyber Agency; a suspected TTP commander was arrested during a police raid in Karachi.

  • In the latest day of fighting the Pakistani military says it has killed twenty-eight militants and has only lost five soldiers.  The soldiers were killed in a blast while they were clearing the important town of Sara Rogha.  The military has made progress on its nearly three week old operation into South Waziristan to root out the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and claims to have secured the TTP stronghold of Ladha while clearing a significant part of Sara Rogha (click here for more detail on operation in SWA).[1]  

  • Four suspected militants were killed in a U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan on Thursday morning.  The drone targeted the compound of a local tribesman said to be affiliated with militants.  It is unknown if any high value targets were killed in the operation.  This is the forty-fourth suspected US drone attack this year.[2] 

  • Militants destroyed another girls’ school in Kyber Agency on Thursday.  This is the second of such attacks in the past week.  The militants detonated a large amount of explosives in the building destroying eight of the twenty-six rooms.  Sources say that militants have destroyed hundreds of girls’ schools in the past few years.[3]

  • A suspected TTP commander was arrested by the Special Investigation Unit in Karachi on Thursday.  Officials said that the commander was from Sohrab Goth area of Karachi and was detained during a police raid on a petrol pump.[4]


[1] “Pakistan battle leaves 5 troops, 28 militants dead”, AFP, November 5, 2009. Available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091105/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistanunrestnorthwestmilitary/print
[2] “US strike kills four, hurts three in North Waziristan”, Dawn, November 5, 2009. Available at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/12-suspected+us+missile+strike+in+waziristan+kills+two--bi-11
[3] “Militants blow up Pakistan girls school: officials”, AFP, November 5, 2009. Available at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jlU1aLFMT8vTp38k0sfpIi5gU8bA
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