Pakistani Taliban spokesman denies peace talks

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Pakistani Taliban spokesman on Sunday denied an earlier announcement by the militant group’s deputy chief that it was holding peace talks with the government.
The conflicting claims are a clear sign of splits within the movement, which could make it harder for Islamabad to strike a deal to end the violent insurgency gripping the country — although, possibly, easier to suppress it militarily.

The Pakistani government meanwhile said that the U.S. vacated an air base that had been used by American drones. Islamabad had ordered the Americans out in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes last month which accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistan’s conflict with its branch of the Taliban is closely linked to the American-led war in Afghanistan. Past informal cease-fires have made it easier for Afghan militants sheltered by their Pakistani counterparts to attack U.S. forces across the border.
Consequently, while the U.S. has pushed for peace negotiations between the Afghan branch of the Taliban and Kabul, the possibility of similar talks between Islamabad and the Pakistani branch could stoke concern in Washington.
From Islamabad’s perspective, rising anger against the Americans increases the incentive to cut a deal with the Taliban, as many blame the conflict on their government’s alliance with Washington.
However, the government’s ability to negotiate with the clandestine militant movement will be made vastly more complicated by the Taliban’s murky command structure, and the difficulty in telling whether commanders who say they are willing to make peace actually have any authority on the ground.
Maulvi Faqir Mohammed, who has been recognized by both militants and officials as the deputy chief of the Pakistani Taliban, had said on Saturday that the group was in negotiations with the government. Mohammed, the first named commander to confirm talks, said an agreement to end the country’s brutal four-year insurgency was within striking distance.
Spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan denied Mohammed’s claims, saying there would be no negotiations until the government imposed Islamic law, or Shariah, in the country. The group says it wants to install a hardline Islamist regime.

Read more at the source site: 
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/12/ap-pakistani-taliban-spokesman-denies-peace-talks-121111

 

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Iran says it will not return U.S. drone

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran will not return a U.S. surveillance drone captured by its armed forces, a senior commander of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard said Sunday.
Gen. Hossein Salami, deputy head of the Guard, said in remarks broadcast on state television that the violation of Iran’s airspace by the U.S. drone was a “hostile act” and warned of a “bigger” response. He did not elaborate on what Tehran might do.
“No one returns the symbol of aggression to the party that sought secret and vital intelligence related to the national security of a country,” Salami said.

Iranian television broadcast video Thursday of Iranian military officials inspecting what it identified as the RQ-170 Sentinel drone.
Iranian state media have said the unmanned spy aircraft was detected over the eastern town of Kashmar, some 140 miles from the border with Afghanistan. U.S. officials have acknowledged losing the drone.
Salami called its capture a victory for Iran and a defeat for the U.S. in a complicated intelligence and technological battle.
“Iran is among the few countries that possesses the most modern technology in the field of pilotless drones. The technology gap between Iran and the U.S. is not much,” he said.
Officers in the Guard, Iran’s most powerful military force, had previously claimed that the country’s armed forces brought down the surveillance aircraft with an electronic ambush, causing minimum damage to the drone.
American officials have said that U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Iran neither shot the drone down, nor used electronic or cybertechnology to force it from the sky. They contend the drone malfunctioned. The officials had spoken anonymously in order to discuss the classified program.
But Salami refused to provide more details of Iran’s claim to have captured the CIA-operated aircraft.
“A party that wins in an intelligence battle doesn’t reveal its methods. We can’t elaborate on the methods we employed to intercept, control, discover and bring down the pilotless plane,” he said.

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NATO troops discover drugs cache in southern Afghanistan

Sunday, December 11, 2011 – NATO-led International Security Assistance Force officials following a press release on Sunday said, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while on a patrol yesterday in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province.

The cache consisted of 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of marijuana. All of the drugs were secured by Afghan forces to be destroyed at a later date.

The press release further added, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a weapons cache during a patrol in Tarin Kot district, Uruzgan province, yesterday. The cache consisted of one improvised explosive device, six rocket propelled grenades, one pressure plate and a propane tank filled with 880 rounds of small arms ammunition. All of the weapons were confiscated by Afghan authorities to be destroyed at a later date.

In the meantime, combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation in Arghandab district, Kandahar province. The facilitator moved supplies and conducted attacks against Afghan forces. The security force detained one additional suspected insurgent.

While another Taliban leader was captured by a combined Afghan and coalition security force in Qalat district of southern Zabul province. The leader provided training to subordinate fighters on the use of explosives. Additionally, he transported roadside bomb materials to insurgents in Zabul province. One additional suspected insurgent was detained during the operation.

According to ISAF officials, a Haqqani facilitator was captured by a combined Afghan and coalition security force during an operation in Bak district, Khost province, today. The facilitator provided financial support and weapons to Haqqani insurgent fighters. No civilians were injured during the operation.

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Afghan withdrawal to step up pace in 2012

The number of Australian troops in Afghanistan will be reduced by the end of 2012 as defence works out how to withdraw forces within two years.

Fairfax Media reports the pace of withdrawal from Oruzgan province will be accelerated rapidly as the federal government tries to disentangle Australia from its decade-long commitment to the US-led war.

Military sources have told Fairfax the fifth rotation of Australian mentoring soldiers, due to arrive in Afghanistan in late 2012, will consist of 150 troops, compared with the 900 presently training the Afghan National Army.

The Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Ash Power told journalists at a briefing this week that a plan to hand responsibility to Afghan forces would be unveiled early next year.

Fairfax has also cited sources saying that the American contingent operating alongside Australian troops would probably be withdrawn by the end of 2012.

Thirty-two Australian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.

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Three Afghan Taliban killed, 32 held

Three Taliban insurgents were killed and 32 arrested during a series of joint military operations carried out in various Afghan provinces over the last 24 hours, the Afghanistan interior ministry said Sunday morning.

'Afghan National Police (ANP), Afghan National Army and NATO-led coalition forces launched nine joint operations in areas surrounding Kabul, Farah, Kandahar, Helmand, Sarpul and Logar provinces over the past 24 hours, killing three armed insurgents and detaining 32 other suspected insurgents,' Xinhua quoted the Afghanistan interior ministry as stating.

The ANP also confiscated 12 AK-47 assault rifles and 10kg opium in these security operations, it said.

Over 230 insurgents had been killed and around 300 detained by joint forces in November alone, the interior ministry said.

Afghan officials often use the word 'insurgents' to refer to the Taliban.

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Pakistan releases 145 Taliban fighters as negotiations progress

Pakistan appears to be progressing in its efforts to cut yet another peace deal with the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Faqir Mohammed, the Movement's commander in Bajaur, who is closely allied with al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri, told Reuters that the government has already freed 145 Taliban fighters, and said he believes that further deals will be struck in the settled district of Swat and in the tribal agencies of South Waziristan, Mohmand, and Arakzai.

By Bill Roggio from LWJ

December 10, 2011 7:47 PM

Pakistan appears to be progressing in its efforts to cut yet another peace deal with the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Faqir Mohammed, the Movement's commander in Bajaur, who is closely allied with al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri, told Reuters that the government has already freed 145 Taliban fighters, and said he believes that further deals will be struck in the settled district of Swat and in the tribal agencies of South Waziristan, Mohmand, and Arakzai. Faqir also said that Pakistan and Afghanistan should unite in waging jihad against "foreign occupations by non-Muslims," a thinly veiled reference to NATO in Afghanistan and India in Kashmir. From Reuters:

"Our talks are going in the right direction," Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, the commander of the Pakistani Taliban in the Bajaur tribal agency and the No. 2 commander overall, told Reuters. "If negotiations succeed and we are able to sign a peace agreement in Bajaur, then the government and the Taliban of other areas such as Swat, Mohmand, Orakzai and South Waziristan tribal region will sign an agreement. Bajaur will be a role model for other areas."
...
"We have no wish to fight against our own armed forces and destroy our own country," he said.
"There has been development in our peace talks, but the government would have to show more flexibility in its stance, and restore the trust of Taliban by releasing their prisoners and stop military operations against them."
Mohammad said Pakistan had released 145 members of the group as a gesture of goodwill, and the militants had pledged a cease-fire. He added that Pakistan and Afghanistan should unite against what he called foreign occupations by non-Muslims.

It is somewhat ironic that the US, which is pushing hard to negotiate with the "Afghan Taliban," is concerned about Pakistan's negotiations. From The Express Tribune:

[White House spokesman] Hayden said that the White House was not in a position to comment on the details of any such talks. "Our overall views on reconciliation are well known as is our view that Pakistan has an important role to play. When it comes to the TTP, we continue to underscore to Pakistan that groups such as the TTP threaten Pakistan and the region," said Hayden. The White House spokesperson added, "persistent safe-havens continue to allow Al Qaeda, the TTP and others to destabilise Pakistan." Hayden also said that "The Pakistani military has made advances against the TTP, and we would not want to see these gains lost. We also continue to be concerned about militant violence against Pakistani civilians." The White House spokesperson said that they would continue to watch the situation closely.

The US has good reasons to doubt that the Pakistani Taliban will keep its word, however. Past peace deals in North and South Waziristan, Kurram, Khyber, Arakzai, Mohmand, Bajaur, and Swat have all collapsed and only contributed to the growth of both the Taliban and al Qaeda, in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan.
Without a doubt, a peace agreement between the Pakistani government and the Taliban will lead to an increased level of violence in Afghanistan. The Pakistanis have encouraged the Taliban to fight in Afghanistan in the past, and given the current deteriorating relations between the US and Pakistan, there is no reason to believe Pakistan will not continue to do so.
Astonishingly, despite what has repeatedly happened with Taliban peace deals in Pakistan, many US and NATO officials nonetheless believe that the core of the Afghan Taliban (the Quetta Shura and the Haqqani Network) will be willing to abide by the terms of peace negotiations to be arranged with the West.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2011/12/pakistan_releases_145_taliban.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1gEAG4bLO

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Dec. 11., 2011. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 11) — In Panwa’i district, Kandahar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while on a patrol yesterday. The cache consisted of 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of marijuana.  All of the drugs were secured by Afghan forces to be destroyed at a later date.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a weapons cache during a patrol in Tarin Kot district, Uruzgan province, yesterday. The cache consisted of one improvised explosive device, six rocket propelled grenades, one pressure plate and a propane tank filled with 880 rounds of small arms ammunition. All of the weapons were confiscated by Afghan authorities to be destroyed at a later date.

Today, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation in Arghandab district, Kandahar province. The facilitator moved supplies and conducted attacks against Afghan forces. The security force detained one additional suspected insurgent. During an operation in Qalat district, Zabul province, a Taliban leader was captured by a combined Afghan and coalition security force, today.

The leader provided training to subordinate fighters on the use of explosives. Additionally, he transported roadside bomb materials to insurgents in Zabul province. One additional suspected insurgent was detained during the operation.

East 
 
A Haqqani facilitator was captured by a combined Afghan and coalition security force during an operation in Bak district, Khost province, today. The facilitator provided financial support and weapons to Haqqani insurgent fighters. No civilians were injured during the operation.

Today, a combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Haqqani leader in Pul-e ‘Alam district, Logar province. The leader is involved in a recent car bomb attack in Logar province that killed one civilian and injured nine others. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban facilitator in Shinwar district, Nangarhar province, today. The facilitator constructs roadside bombs for use in attacks throughout southeast Nangarhar. Two suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

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