| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| The Death of Nek Mohammed |
| 2004-06-21 |
| Last Thursday night, a rocket fired by the Pakistani army arced across the sky of Waziristan and slammed into an adobe farmhouse, instantly killing five men, including tribal chieftain Nek Mohammed, its intended target. An ex-Taliban commander fond of flamboyant turbans, firearms and having his own way in the largely lawless region of Waziristan, Mohammed was wanted on both sides of the nearby border with Afghanistan—by U.S. forces and the Pakistani army—for aiding and giving refuge to fighters from Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda. The 27-year-old commander’s days were numbered after he reneged on a cease-fire in April with Pakistan’s army. At the time, he agreed to disarm his own militia and to help the army track down wanted foreigners, including al-Qaeda members, who have made Waziristan their refuge since U.S. forces entered Afghanistan. He went back on both promises. Enraged, the army relaunched its offensive against Mohammed last week, deploying thousands of troops, helicopters and warplanes, and killing at least 69 suspected militants and destroying more than 20 houses and two mosques, according to an army spokesman. At least 17 soldiers also died in the fighting. Informants tipped off the army that Mohammed was hiding in the farmhouse, the army says. After signing the truce, Mohammed had become a hero in South Waziristan. DVDs of him appeared in the bazaars, showing him presenting a rusty sword to Pakistani officers during the cease-fire ceremony, his only compliance with his promise to disarm. Mohammed rumbled around in a pickup truck mounted with a machine gun and appeared in public with a brace of Chechen and Arab bodyguards, on loan from al-Qaeda, say tribesmen. Two weeks ago, Mohammed took a second bride, a teenager. Al-Qaeda has an estimated 600 fighters in Waziristan, who may be forced to move on. But their options are dwindling. U.S. troops are tightening the watch across the border in Afghanistan. After Mohammed’s demise, tribesmen in Pakistan are grumbling that helping al-Qaeda may now be too risky. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #6 Flamboyant turbans, firearms, a pickup with a machine gun mounted on the back, and an underage wife -- all the makings of a Muslim holy man. So much promise gone to waste... |
| Posted by: virginian 2004-06-21 2:11:29 PM |
| #5 The Death of Nek Mohammed /Nashville Ima got the dee eee dead maaaaaan blues. Good Morning Texas! On Earth he'll shoot no more! Yup, flamboyant turbans and gun sex brought him down. But Ma said that he wasn't a bad boy..... /Nashville |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-06-21 12:08:21 PM |
| #4 i guess the Pak army took the French meaning of "flamboyant" literally. May all there turbans flame. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-06-21 10:31:59 AM |
| #3 hope he took some of those Chechen and arab Al-Qaeda bodyguards with him to hell |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-06-21 10:03:02 AM |
| #2 An ex-Taliban commander fond of flamboyant turbans, firearms and having his own way in the largely lawless region of Waziristan.... Yup, flamboyant turbans and gun sex brought him down. But Ma said that he wasn't a bad boy..... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-06-21 9:28:03 AM |
| #1 He went back on both promises. Enraged, the army relaunched its offensive against Mohammed last week, deploying thousands of troops, helicopters and warplanes, and killing at least 69 suspected militants and destroying more than 20 houses and two mosques, according to an army spokesman Nek breaks word to Paki Army, Army comes down very hard (im sure some here will be impressed at the destruction of two mosques - again, this is something our muslim allies CAN get away with more easily than we can) Very good. Should do wonders for the credibility of the Pakland army in that "nek" of the woods. Pakistan is steadily asserting real authority over NWFP. I guess the DVD in the bazaars wont be as popular. And his underage bride can go home to her Pa, while Nek gets to meet his Virginians. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-06-21 9:02:49 AM |