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| India-Pakistan | |
| Terrorists terrorized: Revenge killers target Taliban | |
| 2009-08-30 | |
| NEARLY three months after the Pakistani army retook the Swat valley from the Taliban, corpses are appearing on the streets almost every day. This time the killings are about revenge. The bodies are suspected militants or Taliban collaborators. Their killers are alleged to be the security forces, although this is denied officially. The body of Afzal Khan, who was in his mid-thirties and lived in the village of Salampur, is one of dozens that have been found since last month. Khan used to serve food to the Taliban and was friendly with Shah Dau-ran, their commander. Dau-ran was killed in June. "Khan went missing from his house one night and after 15 days, we found his corpse with bullet wounds to his head," said a neighbour. The reprisals are a grim echo of the Taliban's own reign of terror. However, many believe they are the only way to stamp out the Taliban forever. "They must be punished for their atrocities, for beheading people, lashing girls and destroying schools," said Ameer Muhammad, the owner of a shop selling records. The Taliban had warned him to close his business. Zahoor, a security guard in Mingora, said he he had not been able to sleep since the Taliban killed an innocent man in the street near his home. "Those responsible for such acts do not deserve any other treatment than the one being given to them," he said.
Since the body was discovered in the main town of Pakistan's Swat Valley, other corpses have appeared on the streets. All were killed in the same manner as the security forces cleared the area of Taleban fighters. The people of Mingora have long been used to the sight of bullet-riddled bodies dumped on the streets. They used to be those of government officials, policemen or women killed by the Taleban who virtually controlled the Swat Valley. This summer the militants were driven out by the army after a month-long battle. Now the pattern of death has been reversed. The Taleban are being hunted down by the security forces and families of the victims of their atrocities. There have been reports of militants' bodies being slung from electricity poles and bridges in other towns of Swat. Last week tribesmen killed two Taleban fighters in a village near Kalam and left their bodies hanging from an electricity pole for several days. Similar incidents were reported in Malakand, Batkhela and Thana. district of Swat Valley.In many cases notes were left on the bodies warning that this would be the fate of all enemies of the state and Swat. Senior army officials deny that troops were involved in the killings but analysts said that it could not happen without the army's blessing. "There is an element of revenge for the soldiers who were brutally murdered and beheaded by Taleban," an official said. The militants used to make videos of the beheadings and distribute them to the media. One of the most brutal incidents happened a week before the army offensive in the valley, when militants captured and beheaded four officers of a commando unit. Such actions by the insurgents enraged the troops. An officer confirmed that they would not take prisoners. Some officials argue that there was no choice but to eliminate the hardened militants as the judicial system was so weak that suspects often went free. Judges were often too terrified to convict. Residents have started co-operating with security agencies in tracking down militants, making it more difficult for them to blend in with the population. "The security forces are tipped off immediately about the presence of militants in the neighbourhood," Saeed Iqbal, a local journalist, said. Dozens of militants have been picked up by security agents in Mingora in recent weeks. Some would not return alive. Security forces are blowing up the houses and properties of Taleban fighters and their leaders who have not been captured or killed. In many cases the extended families have also suffered because of destruction of joint properties. The authorities are arming tribal militias to fight the remaining Taleban. They are mostly led by influential landlords whose properties were taken over by the Taleban. | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #6 TOPIX > AL QAEDA FAILS TO UNITE PAKISTANI TALIBAN + NAZIR, MEHSUD GROUPS FAIL TO RECONCILE. Unfortunately, doesn't mean the US-Allies hold the advantage, espec wid the PAKI ARMY-GOVT becom heavily criticized for abandoning its highly touted pre-planned offensive agz the MilTerrs. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-08-30 19:47 |
| #5 Security forces are blowing up the houses and properties of Taleban fighters and their leaders who have not been captured or killed. In many cases the extended families have also suffered because of destruction of joint properties. You had to know the Jeeeewws are involved somewhere. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins 5*** 2009-08-30 18:11 |
| #4 I'll double my popcorn order. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-08-30 12:09 |
| #3 Perhaps the US could write up a Lessons Learned document and apply this, starting on the Arabian peninsula. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-08-30 11:51 |
| #2 Welcome to the Middle Ages, Mr. Taliban. Here's your vendetta. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-08-30 11:48 |
| #1 Sounds good, but we'll know they're really serious when the Taliban's original creators and enablers (the ISI) start to have fatal "accidents." |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2009-08-30 11:46 |