lennart
05-09-03, 17:00
Mobilization of troops in tribal belt continues -- Detail Story
PESHAWAR, Sept 4: Army troops and paramilitary forces continued their joint mobilization in North and South Waziristan tribal belt along the Afghan border on Thursday amid speculations of an impending operation against Al Qaeda remnants in the mountainous region.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman however termed the troops movement in the area part of "routine military exercises." But an official acknowledged the troops were being mobilized for onward deployment in the Waziristan tribal region ahead of an operation to hunt down Al Qaeda remnants.
"Plans were being drawn up for quite some time and this troop deployment could be part of that," the official said.
Fata and home department officials in Peshawar denied having any knowledge of troops movement or deployment in the tribal region.
On Wednesday afternoon about 25 helicopters landed at Bannu airport.
"The provincial government has not been informed of any operation or exercise," an official told Dawn.
Military officials insist that army troops, Special Services Group (SSG) and Frontier Corps, backed by transport helicopters, were taking part in the exercises. It was not clear how long these exercises would continue.
It is for the first time the army is conducting such large-scale military manoeuvring in the region close to Afghanistan's Paktia and Zabul provinces where US-led allied forces are engaged by the Taliban in severe clashes.
About 100 personnel from 69 Baloch regiment, SSG and paramilitary forces are taking part in the exercises. Some 35-40 helicopters have landed at Bannu airport which had been sealed off for civil aviation flights long ago.
The civilian airport is off limitand no civilian is being allowed to go anywhere near it, an eyewitness said. He said that he had spotted eight helicopters parked at the tarmac.
Helicopters continued to hover over and land at the airport late on Wednesday and early Thursday morning while jawans were moved in military trucks to unknown destinations.
Officials believe that a large number of Al Qaeda remnants have taken refuge in the Waziristan tribal region.
Pakistani, Afghan and American officials have been claiming that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden could also be hiding somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan tribal region.
Interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said on Wednesday that noose was being tightened around Osama but added that Islamabad had no knowledge where he was.
Scores of troops have been moved to the Bannu district near the Afghan border, adds AFP.
"It is part of a routine military exercise and we do not share information about such exercises with the media," military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP.
"We can conduct such exercises anywhere, in deserts and mountains, in any part of the country," the general said.
A senior government official earlier said the troops were on a mission against Al Qaeda suspects.
Scores of soldiers spread out late Wednesday in Bannu district, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Some 25 military helicopters ferried the troops to Bannu from where they moved by road into different parts of the district to carry out the search, a security official said.
Residents said they saw commandos alighting from the helicopters at Bannu airport and headed in different directions in military vehicles.
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en37712&F_catID=&f_type=source
Ik denk dat Bush graag op 11 September wil aankondingen dat Osama is opgepakt, dus Musharraf is gevraagd hem op te pakken.
PESHAWAR, Sept 4: Army troops and paramilitary forces continued their joint mobilization in North and South Waziristan tribal belt along the Afghan border on Thursday amid speculations of an impending operation against Al Qaeda remnants in the mountainous region.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman however termed the troops movement in the area part of "routine military exercises." But an official acknowledged the troops were being mobilized for onward deployment in the Waziristan tribal region ahead of an operation to hunt down Al Qaeda remnants.
"Plans were being drawn up for quite some time and this troop deployment could be part of that," the official said.
Fata and home department officials in Peshawar denied having any knowledge of troops movement or deployment in the tribal region.
On Wednesday afternoon about 25 helicopters landed at Bannu airport.
"The provincial government has not been informed of any operation or exercise," an official told Dawn.
Military officials insist that army troops, Special Services Group (SSG) and Frontier Corps, backed by transport helicopters, were taking part in the exercises. It was not clear how long these exercises would continue.
It is for the first time the army is conducting such large-scale military manoeuvring in the region close to Afghanistan's Paktia and Zabul provinces where US-led allied forces are engaged by the Taliban in severe clashes.
About 100 personnel from 69 Baloch regiment, SSG and paramilitary forces are taking part in the exercises. Some 35-40 helicopters have landed at Bannu airport which had been sealed off for civil aviation flights long ago.
The civilian airport is off limitand no civilian is being allowed to go anywhere near it, an eyewitness said. He said that he had spotted eight helicopters parked at the tarmac.
Helicopters continued to hover over and land at the airport late on Wednesday and early Thursday morning while jawans were moved in military trucks to unknown destinations.
Officials believe that a large number of Al Qaeda remnants have taken refuge in the Waziristan tribal region.
Pakistani, Afghan and American officials have been claiming that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden could also be hiding somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan tribal region.
Interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said on Wednesday that noose was being tightened around Osama but added that Islamabad had no knowledge where he was.
Scores of troops have been moved to the Bannu district near the Afghan border, adds AFP.
"It is part of a routine military exercise and we do not share information about such exercises with the media," military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP.
"We can conduct such exercises anywhere, in deserts and mountains, in any part of the country," the general said.
A senior government official earlier said the troops were on a mission against Al Qaeda suspects.
Scores of soldiers spread out late Wednesday in Bannu district, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Some 25 military helicopters ferried the troops to Bannu from where they moved by road into different parts of the district to carry out the search, a security official said.
Residents said they saw commandos alighting from the helicopters at Bannu airport and headed in different directions in military vehicles.
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en37712&F_catID=&f_type=source
Ik denk dat Bush graag op 11 September wil aankondingen dat Osama is opgepakt, dus Musharraf is gevraagd hem op te pakken.