Operation Khyber

Operation Khyber Part of the War in North-West Pakistan and the War on Terror Date October 2014–July 2015 Location Khyber Agency, FATA, Pakistan Status Pakistani Victory Area completely cleared, militants dismantled[1] Khyber returned to governmental control Many militants killed or fled away Belligerents Pakistan Insurgent groups Commanders and leaders Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Army Chief Raheel Sharif Chairman JCSC Rashad Mahmood DG ISI Rizwan Akhtar Air Chief Tahir Rafique Butt Naval Chief Zaka Ullah Insurgent groups Omar Khalid Khorasani Mangal Bagh Fazlullah Strength Pakistan Army Pakistan Air Force Paramilitary forces of Pakistan CIA drone strikes[2][3] Lashkar-e-Islam[4] Jamaat-ul-Ahrar Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan[4] Casualties and losses In Pakistani offensive: 280+ killed[5] (as of 3rd January 2015) 400 surrendered[5]

Khyber is the code-name for a military offensive being conducted by Pakistan's military in the Khyber Agency in two phases Khyber-1 and Khyber-2.

Khyber Agency is among Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous tribal districts near the Afghan border, rife with homegrown insurgents and foreign militants. Terrorist organisations including Al Qaeda also have a presence there. The plains of Bara hold strategic significance for militant groups as they connect the agency to the outskirts of Peshawar. The key area also straddles the NATO supply line into Afghanistan. The region has been long fought over by a mix of militant organisations, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Ansarul Islam and Mangal Bagh’s Lashkar-e-Islam.

Background

After negotiations with militant groups, Khyber Agency political agent Shahab Ali Shah said that the time for negotiations with militant groups operating in the restive Tehsil was over and that militants had no option but to either lay down arms or face a military crackdown. The operation began with airstrikes against Lashkar-e-Islam hideouts in areas under the Mangal Bagh-led group’s control in Tirah and Bara, killing 21 militants and destroying their three key bases. Sources said the main aim of the operation was to clear Khyber from Bara to the border of Tirah valley, following which the second phase of the operation will begin.^[6]

Belligerents

• Pakistan Armed Forces

• Lashkar-e-Islam

Lashkar-e-Islam (Urdu: لشكرِ اسلام‎), (LI or LeI) literally Army of Islam) is a militant organization active in and around Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan. LeI was founded in 2004 by Mufti Munir Shakir. Currently the organization is headed by Mangal Bagh. LeI had control in Tirah and Bara.

• Jamaat-ul-Ahrar

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a militant Islamist group that split away from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in August 2014.^[7] On 9 November 2014, JuA spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed that Abu Jandal was leading a contingent of 50 fighters in battle against the Pakistani security forces in Tirah. He further said that 50 more fighters would soon be on their way to the valley.^[8]

• Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan

Tehrik-i-Taliban is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Mangal Bagh is reported to have requested TTP and other militant groups to send their fighters to the Tirah valley to support LI. The TTP had announced it would send fighters to join LI.^[4]

• United States (CIA Drone strikes)

The United States government has attacked and killed many militants in Khyber Agency, during Operation Khyber, using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency.^[2][3]

Preparations

Pakistan's security forces had blocked all entry and exit points of Bara at least two days ahead of the Khyber-1 military operation.

Timeline

• On October 16, 2014, twenty-one suspected militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed in air strikes on the militant group Lashkar-e-Islam in the Akkakhel area.^[9]
• On October 17, 2014, at least nine suspected militants were killed and 10 others were injured in an operation in the Bara area.^[6]

25 October

18 militants were killed in Pakistani air strikes in Khyber Agency's Khyber district near the Afghan border.^[10]

29 October

Twenty militants were killed and eight others were injured in airstrikes by Pakistan Air Force in Akka Khel area of the Khyber Agency.^[11]

• On November 9, 2014, at least 27 militants were killed and two soldiers died as security forces carried out strikes in Akakhel and Tirah areas. Those killed included a key militant commander and two suicide bombers. Ten militant hideouts and an ammunition depot were also destroyed, according to ISPR.^[12]
• On November 11, 2014, at least nine militants were killed and 12 others injured in a clash between security forces and militants in the Akakhel area of Bara Agency. Four key militant commanders also surrendered to authorities.^[13]
• On November 12, 2014, at least 19 militants were killed during air strikes in Sandapal and Akakhel areas of Khyber Agency. According to the ISPR, an important militant commander was also killed. Furthermore, the air strikes destroyed at least five militant hideouts and an ammunition depot in the area.^[14]
• On November 21, 2014, at least twenty-two militants were killed in airstrikes against militant hideouts in various parts of Tirah valley of Khyber Agency, according to ISPR.^[15]
• On November 28, 2014 at least 11 suspected militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed in airstrikes in Tirah valley.^[16]
• On November 29, 2014, Two Taliban commanders were killed in a clash with the security forces in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency. Official sources said that the clash occurred in Lashora area of Jamrud which left militant commanders of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Abubakar and Wajid, dead.^[17]

See also

• Operation Zarb-e-Azb

References

1. http://www.dawn.com/news/1192007
2. "Dunya News: Pakistan:-Khyber Agency: Six killed in US drone strike ...". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
3. "Khyber Agency: Drone strike kills ten suspected militants in Nazyan - Pakistan - Dunya News". dunyanews.tv. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
4. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "Mullah Fazlullah escapes drone strike near Pak-Afghan border: sources". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
5. "Tirah blitz leaves 31 suspected militants dead". The Express Tribune. January 3, 2015. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
6. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "Nine killed as military operation launched in Khyber". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
7. "Pakistan Taliban faction announce split, new leader". Agence France-Presse. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
8. "Jamaatul Ahrar confirms death of commander in Khyber airstrikes". Dawn. 10 November 2014.
9. Ibrahim Shinwari. "21 militants killed in Khyber air strikes". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
10. "Air strikes kill 18 militants in Khyber Agency". The Express Tribune. October 26, 2014. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
11. "Air strikes kill 20 militants in Khyber Agency". Geo News. October 29, 2014. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
12. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "Security forces kill 27 militants, destroy 10 hideouts in Khyber Agency: ISPR". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
13. Zahir Shah Sherazi - Mateen Haider. "Two soldiers, 24 militants killed in Orakzai, Bara". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
14. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "19 militants killed in air strikes in Khyber Agency". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
15. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "Twenty-two militants killed in Khyber strikes". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
16. Ibrahim Shinwari. "11 killed in Tirah air attack". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
17. Zahir Shah Sherazi. "Two key Taliban commanders killed in Khyber clash: sources". Retrieved 14 December 2014.

• http://www.dawn.com/news/1143342
• http://www.dawn.com/news/1140458