It does seem that the Pakistan Tribal Awakening is taking root and spreading in the tribal regions of Pakistan known as the FATA and the NWFP. I noted in one post yesterday how tribes in one area of the NWFP province had set up security details and hunted down Taliban militants in their region.

 

 

I also posted yesterday on reports from the strife torn Kurram Agency of FATA that three local tribes had publicly announced support for Pakistan government intervention in the agency to take out the extremist Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies. Today that number of tribes supporting military action in their local has grown to six:

Six major tribes of Kurram Agency here Sunday announced full support to the government in its efforts to flush militants out from the area and bring back peace to the troubled agency.

The tribesmen also decided to vacate trenches and hand over it to the security forces to purge the agency from militants.  The decisions were taken in grand tribal jirga comprised Mastokhel, Mamzakhel, Doperzai, Ghandakhel, Alizai and Tori Bangesh tribes here at the agency headquarters Parachinar. Large number of tribal people along with their maliks and chieftains attended the jirga.

The jirga unanimously welcomed and supported the government’s efforts for restoration of peace, ending conflicts between warring tribesmen and action against Pro-Taliban militants that badly affected lives of tribesmen and hampered development process in the agency.

We are beginning to see Pakistan’s version of the Anbar Awakening which turned the tide in Iraq against al-Qaeda as the Muslim Street there rose up to hunt al-Qaeda down and purge it from their communities. And Kurram Agency is not the only Agency welcoming the cavalry to kick Islamo Fascist butt: The backlash against the Taliban and al-Qaeda is spreading to the Bajaur and Mohmand Agencies as well:

Hundreds of tribesmen in Mohmand area of Bajaur have vowed to resist the local Taliban as security forces continued their operation in the troubled region.

Reports reaching here said that at least 20 militants had been killed in different areas of the agency on Saturday and Sunday.

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Local people said that armed volunteers were patrolling Lar Kali and Ber Kali round the clock to stop the Taliban entering the areas.

They said that anti-Taliban sentiments were intensifying and the tribesmen decided not to allow militant activities in their area.

Groups of people in Khar, the regional headquarters of the agency, are patrolling the town to check movement of the militants.

This is a stunning turn around. These tribes at one time took pride in protecting and supporting the Taliban in their midst. To publicly announce they are taking up arms against these murderous thugs is to bring their wrath down upon these local people. But clearly the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces have worn out their welcome to the point their fellow Muslims are taking up arms and chasing them out of town.

SHAWAR (Kurram Agency), Aug 17: Two militant ‘commanders’ and at least 45 other people have been killed in clashes in the Kurram tribal region.

According to sources, Toori tribesmen have regained the control of Arawali, Jeelamay and Chardewari Killey villages which were occupied by their rivals on Saturday night.

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According to the sources, six members of a Toori clan held a jirga here on Sunday and urged the government to take effective action against the militants.

It is interesting the Kurram Agency is one of the places where the Pakistan Awakening is taking root. It is the place where Shiite and Sunni tribes have been at war for almost a year:

As many as 900 people have been killed in the sectarian violence in Kurram Agency since April last year, officials and residents of the volatile tribal region revealed on Sunday.
These hundreds of the ill-fated people killed in the fierce clashes included the death toll of 200 during the last two weeks. “In addition to the killing of hundreds, the violence has forced thousands of people to migrate to Hangu, Kohat, Peshawar and other safe places,” said an official desiring not to be named.

According to residents of Kurram Agency, the government has been unable to stop the fighting between Sunnis and Shias in Parachinar, Sadda, Alizai, Balishkhel, Pewar and other tribal area and hence more and more people falling to guns each and every day.

It is not hard to see why the Agency has tired of the Sunni al-Qaeda and Taliban cancer in their midst. As is now the pattern for al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies, their brutal form of Islam may sound romantic when pitted against America and the West, but when it is turned onto the Muslim Street the street ultimately rises up to quash the movement.

Reader Kathie refers us to this interesting article out of Australia, which is much closer to the Pakistan war front and has a better understanding of the region:

A HUMAN tide of more than 300,000 civilians has fled the al-Qaeda badlands, amid indications that the fighting there has reached unprecedented levels, with the Pakistani army using massive firepower to attack jihadi militant strongholds.

Helicopter gunships, fixed-wing strike aircraft, tanks and heavy artillery have been used in the onslaught that follows the visit last month by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to Washington, where he was berated for Pakistan’s failure to wipe out the militants.

The offensive runs counter to perceptions that Pakistan’s new civilian Government is “soft” on Islamic extremism, The Australian reports.

This will reassure Washington, whose ally in the war in terror for the past nine years, President Pervez Musharraf, was given by the Coalition Government until midnight last night (4am today AEST) to resign or face impeachment proceedings beginning tonight in the National Assembly.

It seems there is going to be a trade in Pakistan. The government wipes out the terrorists and Musharraf will step down. Not a bad deal all the way around. But what is important is how the Pakistan government is finally going all out to purge its country of Islamo Fascism. And it seems to be paying off with the people of Pakistan, if this Op Ed is any indication:

This is a matter of great satisfaction for the people of Pakistan that this time the ongoing operations in Swat, Bajaur and other troubled areas seem to be heavy, decisive and result-oriented.

More here:

The war against the Taliban is one that requires patience but also action. Inaction will make the Americans undertake unilateral action on their own. Hence, the way forward is clear. Pakistan must act against the militants with full force — there can be no half measures. Also, the establishment needs to realise some home truths. The strategy to influence Afghanistan has failed and those Taliban who defeated the Northern Alliance in the past are not even showing gratitude to their Pakistani mentors (field officers in the ISI). They are no longer on our side and the sooner the Pakistan government understands this, the better. Also, all army personnel covertly seconded to the Taliban movement must be withdrawn.

Also, the time has come to crush militant organizations such as the Sipah-e-Sahaba, Laskar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Muhammad and the Jaish-e-Mohammad.

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In the past, Al Qaeda was initially operating from South Waziristan. But when the regular army was moved there as a result of Operation Al-Mizan, things changed. The gigantic siege and search operations resulted in the capture of several hundred Al Qaeda operatives. As a result, Al Qaeda moved its base to North Waziristan and Bajaur.

Bajaur is now getting pounded by the Pakistan Military. It was well documented that in the last election the people of Pakistan have grown weary of the war on terror. There were legitimate concerns the Pak government would try to negotiate a peace with the terrorists, leaving them to plot and kill outside the borders of Pakistan. Thankfully the nature of the Islamo Fascists made it impossible for them to control their blood lust, and the consistent and determined pressure from Washington DC and other capitols in the West pushed us to this point where Pakistan is finally rising up and taking on the enemies of Islam: The extreme Taliban and al-Qaeda groups on their soil.

We may be witnessing the final chapter in al-Qaeda’s dominance of Islam, world politics and war. There will always be some remnants around to cause trouble, but clearly there are only a few rogue governments left who tolerate such a brutal form of Islam. And the days are numbered for them as well, though it is hopeful they will fall to democracy movements and not threaten the West into more military action.

Update: Musharraf is definitely stepping down. He has been a good ally in our war on terror. Let’s see how far this current governing coalition will go to end their own turmoil and clean up their own country.

Update: Even more news of a backlash building in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan against al-Qaeda and the Taliban:

Hundreds of tribesmen in the Mohmand area in the troubled Bajaur agency have vowed to resist the local Taliban as security forces continued their operation in the troubled region.

…

Local people said that armed volunteers were patrolling Lar Kali and Ber Kali round the clock to stop the Taliban entering the areas.

They said that anti-Taliban sentiments were intensifying and the tribesmen decided not to allow militant activities in their area.

Groups of people in Khar, the regional headquarters of the agency, are patrolling the town to check movement of the militants.

If the Muslim Street inside the Pak Tribal Areas is rising up against the Taliban and al-Qaeda President George Bush will have been vindicated by basically destroying their support within their one time havens. It would have been ridiculous to hope we would turn the tide on the Islamo Fascists right after 9-11 within Bush’s terms as President, but it seems that indeed is what has happened. Our mission is on the verge of being very much so accomplished!

Update: Strike one more major Taliban Leader in FATA:

According to authentic reports, taliban leader Kashmir Khan has been killed in the fresh clashes in the agency.

The death toll in the 12 days fighting reached to 287 and 373 injured of whom majority are extremists and miscreants.

Kashmir Khan is one of the key Taliban leaders who opposed the US operations in Afghanistan and allied with  Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a long time ally of Osama Bin Laden.

Tags: al-Qaeda, Awakening, Bajaur, FATA, Kurram, Mohmand, Musharraf, NWFP, Pakistan, Taliban