Failed Strategy,Unwarranted Spike :: South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR),Vol. No. 9.30
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SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 9, No. 30, January 31, 2011

Data and assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the
South Asia Terrorism Portal


ASSESSMENT

 

INDIA
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Jharkhand: Failed Strategy
Ajit Kumar Singh
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

The Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Neyaz Ahmed, on January 13, 2011, stated that the Police had decided to change its strategy to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE), with more action focused on inter-State borders: "We expect more success in 2011 and we will change the strategy slightly, like moving Security Forces to new places and launching operations on border areas, and having more cooperation with Bihar, Odisha and Bengal." Earlier, on January 11, the former Bihar Director General of Police, Devki Nandan Gautam, was appointed security advisor to the Jharkhand Government, to advise the State Government on strategy to tackle Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), and on matters of general law and order.

Following quickly thereafter, nine CPI-Maoist cadres, including ‘sub-zonal commander’ Basant Yadav, were killed in an encounter with the Security Forces (SFs) in the Luhur Forest in Latehar District in the early hours of January 28, 2011. Apart from the June 13, 2010, encounter in which the SFs had managed to kill 10 Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) in a single day, near Bandgaon in West Singhbhum District, there had been no single incident through 2010 in which three or more extremists were killed. [The SFs, however, killed 13 LWEs in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum District in an operation between September 25 and 27, 2010.] In 2009, there had been five incidents in which three or more Maoists were killed.

The SFs’ engagement with the LWEs had clearly weakened as a result of the manifest infirmity of the State’s policy. On January 2, 2010, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and then-Chief Minister Shibu Soren had declared, "If they keep quiet, we too won’t harass them unnecessarily. Anti-Naxalite [Left Wing Extremist] operations in the State have virtually been suspended. Our Government is ready for talks with top ultra leaders at any time and accept their justified demands." Only six Maoists were killed in first five months of 2010, under Soren’s leadership.

The State has witnessed a change of political fortunes twice since then. Soren lost his majority in the State Assembly and had to resign. The State was put under President Rule on June 1, 2010. On September 11, 2010, however, the Arjun Munda-led Bharatiya Janta Party-JMM alliance Government was formed. The State’s orientation towards the Maoists, however, did not change significantly through these political realignments. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database, 76 rebels were killed in 2009, but the number declined considerably, to 49 in 2010. Similarly, while 67 were SF personnel were killed in 2009, SF fatalities fell to 27 in 2010, clearly demonstrating an unwillingness on the part of the state to engage with the extremists. The number of civilians killed by the Maoists remained almost unchanged, at 71 in 2010, as against 74 in 2009. The State was clearly attempting to buy ‘peace’ with the Maoists at the cost of civilian’s suffering.

Fatalities in Left-Wing Extremism: 2005-2010

 

Civilians
SFs
LWE
Total
2005
49
27
20
96
2006
18
47
29
94
2007
69
6
45
120
2008
74
39
50
163
2009
74
67
76
217
2010
71
27
49
147
Source: SATP

296 incidents of Maoist violence were recorded in the State through 2010, of which 84 were incidents of killing. 40 incidents involved arson and the blowing up of private and Government properties. Other crimes included lesser acts of violence, abduction, extortion and widespread intimidation.

Telephone intercepts in September 2010 established that the CPI-Maoist formed a company of 100-odd armed cadres who moved in a single group, carrying sophisticated weapons and explosives, to target SF personnel scouring Saranda Forest in the West Singhbhum District. The intercepts indicated that the Maoists had designated Tirulposi in Manoharpur, West Singhbhum, about 50 kilometres from Rourkela in Odisha, as a ‘headquarters’, where cadres from Odisha and Bihar would gather regularly to chalk out strategy.

The Naxalites continued to make their presence felt in 20 out of Jharkhand’s 24 Districts. The worst affected among these included Ranchi (44), East Singhbhum (34), Latehar (29), Khunti (23), Bokaro (22), Gumla (21) and West Singhbhum (20). In 2009, the Latehar District had registered the highest number of incidents (43), followed by Ranchi (40), Palamu (31), Chatra (30) and East Singhbhum (27). 23 Districts were listed as LWE-affected in 2009.

Significantly, at least 10 LWE factions operate within Jharkhand. While the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) was involved in 15 incidents of violence, the Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) was involved in 11, and the Jharkhand Prastuti Committee (JPC) in four incidents through 2010. Some of these splinter groups have managed to build wide influence, eroding the CPI-Maoist’s base, as was evident in the fact that the JPC celebrated Republic Day (January 26, 2011) in the Adga village of the Katkumsandi forest, which had been dominated by the Maoists for decades. After hoisting the tricolour, JPC cadres displayed a large number of arms in their possession to prove that they were strong enough to fight against both the Maoists and the SFs.

The internal frictions of these various LWE outfits, most of which have split from the CPI-Maoist, are an obvious concern for the Maoist leadership. Paramjeet, spokesman for the Maoists' Central Zonal Committee, thus declared, on January 28, 2011, "We want factions like Jharkhand Liberation Tigers [JLT], TPC, JPC and PLFI to understand the politics being played by State Forces... The Security Forces use these groups to weaken our organisation and then kill them calling them Maoists."

Incidents reflecting the internecine conflicts among the LWEs through 2010 prominently included:

December 27: A Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad (JJP, a CPI-Maoist splinter) cadre, was killed in a gun battle with the Bharatiya Communist Party (BCP, another Maoist splinter) in Palamu District.

October 17: Maoists killed a youth, identified as Puna Khadia, a resident of Chhapartoli under Murkunda panchayat (village level local self Government institution) in Gumla District. Claiming responsibility for killing, CPI-Maoist ‘area commander’ Jogi Bhagat alleged that Khadia was killed as he was the ‘right hand’ man of Patrick Toppo, who heads the PLFI, and engaged in extortion and road robbery activities in the area.

October 8: Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were killed by CPI-Maoist cadres in an internecine clash at Hessadih in Khunti District.

July 7: Four LWEs were killed in a gun battle between cadres of the TPC and a newly formed extremist group headed by Pramod Yadav in the vicinity of a forest in Rabda in the Palamu District of Jharkhand. Pramod Yadav was formerly associated with the TPC, before setting up his own faction.

The internal rivalries are also affecting the Maoists’ recruitment drive, particularly with the TPC and JPC trying to contain Maoist activities in Palamu.

State Police Data indicates that 569 Maoists, including 47 Maoists above the rank of ‘area commander’, were arrested across the State through 2010. Significantly, the prosecution of 64 LWEs on various charges has resulted in their conviction in 2009-10.

The SFs have also recorded significant recoveries of arms and ammunition, and have neutralized several LWE hideouts. In a major breakthrough, the SFs raided a well-equipped chemical laboratory run by the CPI-Maoist in the Chandrapur Industrial Area in Bokaro District on December 21, 2010, recovering three kilograms of RDX and 10 kilograms of other chemicals, including two litres each of sulphuric acid and acetone, one kilogram of nitric acid and five kilograms of sulphur powder. 14 wireless sets made in China and some other materials, including Maoist literature, were also seized from the lab.

Given the political environment and the abysmal condition of State Forces, the very limited achievements of the SFs are, nevertheless, significant. An audit report released in Ranchi on August 20, 2010, by the State's Principal Accountant General, described the appalling conditions of the Police in five LWE-affected Districts – Palamu, Ranchi, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Hazaribagh. According to the report, these Districts have shortfalls of main strike weapons ranging between 29 and 64 per cent. While Ranchi, one of the Districts worst hit by CPI-Maoist activities, has shortfall of 64 per cent, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum have shortfalls of 42 and 47 per cent respectively. In Ranchi, the total requirement was 4,895, while the number of main strike weapons and area weapons available was just 1,773. Similarly, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum Districts had shortfalls of 969 and 1,016 weapons, 42 and 47 per cent, respectively, below the requirement. Palamu and Hazaribagh had weapons’ shortfalls of 29 and 45 per cent, respectively. "Though two units of Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) – JAP One and JAP Five – were found to be over armed by 77 and 81 per cent, respectively; the newly formed and centrally-funded India Reserve Battalion (IRB-2), one of the main combat forces of the State Police, was found to be under-armed to the extent of 49 per cent," the audit report noted. IRB-2 had a shortfall of 463 weapons. Only 12 per cent of Police personnel deployed in these LWE-hit Districts had bullet-proof jackets and bullet proof helmets.

DGP Ahmad recognizes the shortfalls, but claims, "Efforts are underway to purchase more strike weapons and bullet proof jackets for the State's constabulary. We have already placed orders for supply of such gadgets under the Police modernization programme."

The State Government has also announced several measures intended to meet the challenge. The three Districts worst affected by LWE, Latehar, Garhwa and Palamu, have been asked to recruit 850 Police personnel. On January 12, the State Government approved 73 posts for four proposed jungle warfare schools, which will provide training to Police personnel to combat the Maoists in the State. Two schools are to be established in Latehar, and one each in Jamshedpur and Hazaribagh. In addition, the Jharkhand Police introduced 3D mapping technologies to take to plot out Maoist activities in the State. Central Reserve Police Force Additional Superintendent of Police for anti-Maoist operations, Apoorva, disclosed, on January 16, 2011, "The 3D mapping is helping us in getting familiar with the terrain, forests, hills and other places. It helps the Security Forces involved in anti-Maoist operations." Police personnel working in Maoist-affected areas have, however, been asked to sharpen their personal observation instincts, rather than relying completely on the modern gadgetry, to detect and neutralize landmines.

On July 31, 2010, the State Government had announced a surrender policy. Under President’s Rule at that time, the Government announced the scheme, Nai Disha (New Direction), according to which extremists who surrendered with rocket launchers or machine guns would receive INR 100,000, and those who surrendered with an AK-series rifle would get INR 75,000. Similarly, between INR 15,000 and INR 2,000 would be paid for IED or explosive materials, wireless sets, remote control devices, grenades, pistols, revolvers and rifles. Surrendered Maoists would be provided security and their families would be relocated to a safe place, while employment could also be provided. Talking about the scheme, the DGP Ahmed, on January 13, 2011, claimed that some LWEs had evinced interest in laying down arms. He, however, did not divulge the number of extremists who had already surrendered since the launch of the scheme. SATP records a meagre 20 surrenders since January 1, 2010.

While limited schemes for capacity augmentation in the Police have been announced, there is little evidence of a coherent strategy to tackle the Maoists in Jharkhand, even as the wider environment in and around the State has become more vulnerable to extremist mobilisation over the past years. In the absence of an extraordinary mobilisation of will and resources, there is little hope that any enduring gains will be registered against the Naxalites in Jharkhand in the proximate future.

INDIA
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Meghalaya: Unwarranted Spike
Fakir Mohan Pradhan
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

In contrast to the almost continuous diminution in trends in militant violence since 2003, Meghalaya registered a spike in 2010, with 20 fatalities, including three civilians and 17 militants. There were just five fatalities in 2009, including one civilian and four militants. For two consecutive years the state recorded no Security Forces (SFs) casualty.

Militancy-related Fatalities in Meghalaya: 2001-10

 

Incidents
Civilians
SFs
Militants
Total
2001
70
29
15
07
51
2002
84
28
14
24
66
2003
85
35
07
37
79
2004
47
17
08
22
47
2005
37
01
00
23
24
2006
38
06
00
20
26
2007
28
09
01
14
24
2008
79
00
01
11
12
2009
50
1
0
4
5
2010
73
3
0
17
20
Source: Data 2001-2007: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India
Data 2008-2010: South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP)

Militancy related incidents were reported from six of Meghalaya's seven Districts in 2010. While the East Khasi Hills District was worst affected, with 24 recorded incidents, East Garo Hills reported 23; West Garo Hills, 10; Jaintia Hills, six; West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills, five incidents each. Ri-Bhoi District did not record any militancy-related incident.

Militants suffered major loses in the State, though the militancy related incidents increased to 73 in 2010 from 50 in 2009. On December 10, 2010, four militants of the breakaway faction of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), including its leader, Jokin Momin, were killed during an encounter with Police in East Garo Hills District. The breakaway faction was yet to give itself a name. Further, the ‘Chief’ of the Garo hills-based Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), Nikseng G. Momin, was killed on December 2, 2010, along with another cadre, in an encounter with the Police at Darugre Reserve Forest in the same District. Of the 17 militants killed in the State in 2010, LAEF accounted for six; GNLA, two; the breakaway faction of GNLA, four; the Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), three; and the Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF), two.

The SFs also made some key arrests. Shembhalang Dkhar and Roy Kupar Marbaniang, the 'commander-in-chief' and 'chairman', respectively, of the newly formed HLF, were arrested from their respective residences at Demthring and Madanriting localities in capital Shillong on January 13, 2010. Joplin Pohtam alias Jop, a 'sergeant major' of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and a key aide to the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Bobby Marwein, was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) near Umngot River in Dawki of East Khasi Hills District on July 18, 2010 GNLA ‘finance secretaries’, Solte Marak and Martin, were arrested by the SFs from Williamnagar, East Garo Hills District, on May 15, 2010. Earlier on the same day, the ‘general secretary’ of the outfit, Novembirth Ch. Marak, was also arrested from New Jalpaiguri railway station in West Bengal. Months later, the alleged "chief recruiting agent" of the GNLA, Dikseng M. Sangma and two of his close aides, Wallen Ch. Marak and Stingson Ch. Marak, were arrested from the East Garo Hills District on October 23, 2010. A total of 71 militants were arrested in the State through 2010, including 18 from HNLC; 12 from GNLA; five from the Assam-based National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB); four from ULFA: four from HLF; three from Hmar People's Convention – Democracy (HPC-D); three from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA); three from Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP); and one each from the Nagaland-based National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) and the, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL). The affiliation of 17 arrested militants was unspecified.

The pressure maintained by the SFs also resulted in some surrenders. The LAEF ‘chairman’, Dimrim N. Sangma alias Ramen, surrendered at Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills District along with four cadres, on December 16, 2010. GNLA accounted for five surrenders; LAEF, 4; NDFB, 3; HNLC, 2; ULFA, 2; and HLF, 1.

The HNLC, the principal militant grouping in earlier years, with its strength considerably reduced due to rapid attrition, kept activities at a low level, barring some reports of extortion in the coal belt areas, especially in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Significantly, HNLC ‘area commander’ Alex Hahshah, who has been active in the coal belt for the past five years and was instrumental in recruitment in that area, was arrested along with eight new recruits from a house at Parmowda village in the West Khasi Hills District on January 27, 2010. The group’s capacities have been so reduced that is was said to be borrowing arms from other groups, and returning these after after doing the "job" (extortion) with the "instrument". This was revealed after the arrest an HNLC cadre, identified as Aibor alias Saddam Hussein, from Pynthorsale village in Jaintia Hills District on August 29, 2010. However, some top HNLC leaders, including "chairman" Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, are still believed to be operating from Bangladesh. The Ministry of Home Affairs, on December 16, 2010, extended its ban on the HNLC.

Another prominent militant group, the ANVC, which claims to represent the Garo tribe, has entered into a process of talks with the Union Government, and the ceasefire between the ANVC and the Union Government was extended without any time frame on September 30, 2010.

The vacuum left by major outfits has, however, been filled by a number of smaller groups. The newly formed Garo faction, GNLA, has been the most active in killing, abduction, extortion, bomb blasts and attacks on SFs. The outfit was floated by a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, Meghalaya, Pakchara R. Sangma alias Champion R. Sangma, after deserting the Police force. Sangma had gone "missing" for several months until it was discovered, in March 2010, that he was leading the GNLA. He issued a press statement ‘confirming’ his position as the "chairman" of the GNLA. Media reports suggest that Sohan D. Shira, former ANVC ‘area Commander’ for the East Garo Hills, was the ‘Commander-in-Chief’ of the GNLA. The cadre base of the outfit is mainly formed by deserters from ANVC, LAEF and NDFB. The outfit is believed to be behind the killing of two non-local coal miners in South Garo Hills on November 17, 2010, and a bomb blast in Tura on October 9, 2010, in which nine persons were injured. GNLA is also engaged in extortion from coal-traders, petrol tank owners and local businessmen. There are several instances persons working under the Union Government's flagship programme, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), in the East and South Garo Hills Districts, cuting short their work to leave the area due to fear of the GNLA militants.

The Government initially dismissed the GNLA as a "bunch of criminals", but on December 12, 2010, invited the group for talks to "facilitate their surrender". Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s offer, however, did not evoke any response from the outfit.

Another new militant formation, Hynniewtrep Tiger National Front (HTNF), was formed on May 19, 2010. The new group’s ‘chairman’ Nathan Kshiar, in a statement to the Press, claimed that the HTNF’s main objective was to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Khasi and Jaintia people." However, the SFs quickly arrested key leaders of the outfit from Shillong on May 23, 2010, including the ‘chairman’, Nathan Kshiar, ‘commander-in-chief’ Khraw alias Kitbok Kyndiah, and ‘publicity secretary’ Jonas alias Vincent Kharir.

Meghalaya has also been witnessing the overflow of militancy from neighbouring States. Myanmarese rebels and arms’ dealers have made Shillong their "rendezvous point" for weapons’ transactions with Northeast militants. A central intelligence agency recently alerted the Meghalaya Police regarding a former 'captain' of the Myanmar-based Chin National Army (CNA), Tialkulhtang, smuggling in arms and ammunition from Mandalay in Myanmar. BSF Inspector General R.C. Saxena confirmed that some "elements of CNA" were hiding in Shillong.

Assam-based ULFA also has hideouts in the State and, on March 14, 2010, its cadres shot dead a 65-year-old person, Tomen N. Marak, at his residence at Rongrong Apal village under the Resubelpara sub-division in East Garo Hills District. Groups such as ULFA and NDFB in Assam are known to have used the Garo Hills to travel between Assam and their base areas in Bangladesh. There are also credible reports about GNLA links with the Nagaland-based NSCN-IM and ULFA. Former Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, on February 7, 2010, stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, NSCN-IM, NDFB and United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) were not only supporting groups like LAEF, but also providing them arms, ammunition and training.

Militant groups in the State also fuel conflict among different tribes. The clashes between Rabhas and Garos along the Assam-Meghalaya border, which ensued on New Year’s Day in 2011, left at least 10 persons dead and some 50,000 displaced from the East Garo Hills District of Meghalaya and the Goalpara District of Assam. A visiting officialof the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh, on January 10, 2011, stated that the clashes appeared "well-planned" and did not rule out the hand of "underground groups."

Meghalaya has recorded significant gains against militant violence over the past years. However, new groups are constantly being created within the vacuum left behind by older formations, and the environment of political uncertainty – the State has witnessed a leadership change on eight occasions over the past five years – creates wide spaces for continuous militant mobilisation. Much of this is now devoid even of a fig-leaf of ideology, and its principal motivations appears to be extortion. Nevertheless, the harm these groups are doing to Meghalaya and its people will persist, unless a regime of some political stability and administrative efficiency is established across the State.


NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia
January 17-23, 2011

 

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

BANGLADESH

 

Left-wing Extremism

0
0
1
1

INDIA

  

Assam

1
0
0
1

Meghalaya

0
0
1
1

Left-wing Extremism

  

Bihar

1
0
0
1

Chhattisgarh

0
1
0
1

Jharkhand

0
0
9
9

Odisha

1
0
0
1

West Bengal

2
0
0
2

Total (INDIA)

5
1
10
16

PAKISTAN

  

Balochistan

4
0
0
4

FATA

14
1
118
133

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

4
1
2
5

Punjab

10
0
1
11

Sindh

1
3
0
4

Total (PAKISTAN)

33
5
119
157
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.


BANGLADESH


HuJI-B used grenades sent by LeT to carry out terror attacks in 2004-2005, says investigation report: An investigation report revealed that most of the 32 Arges grenades sent to Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami-Bangladesh (HuJI-B) by Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were used in at least seven major terror attacks in 2004-05. Of the attacks, six targeted the leaders of the then opposition Awami League (AL), and the other was on the British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury. In carrying out the blasts, HuJI-B had been aided by a powerful quarter, some of who were in State power. Investigators unearthed these while trying to get to the source of the grenade used in the killing of AL leader and former Finance Minister S.A.M.S Kibria. The Daily Star, January 28, 2011.


INDIA


ISI sent Hawala money for stone-pelters in J&K via Delhi, reveals interrogation: The three hawala (illegal money transfer) conduits, including Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, a close associate of the All Party Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who were arrested on January 23 by Srinagar Police and Delhi Police's special cell from Srinagar along with INR 21 lakh made a revelation that this money was being sent to Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) via Delhi by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, for stone-pelters, to deliberately create unrest in the valley. The money is being routed to J&K from Pakistan through a Delhi-based hawala dealer, who is yet to be arrested. Times of India, January 28, 2011.

No question of troop cut in Jammu and Kashmir, asserts Army Chief V K Singh: Army Chief General V K Singh describing the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir said though the scenario has improved, there was no question of withdrawing Army troops from there. "The day the 42 terror camps on the other side are wound up and Pakistan stops its proxy war that would be the time to withdraw. At the moment, we don’t think there is a need for troop reductions," the Army chief said in an interview with Headlines Today. Daily Excelsior, January 28, 2011.

No arms recovered from CPI-M camps in West Bengal, says CRPF official: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on January 29 said it has not been able to recover any arms from the camps allegedly run by the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Lalgarh in West Midnapore District and its adjoining Districts. Inspector General T. B. Rao said, "… The raids were being conducted for a week or so but so far there has not been any positive result," Rao said, adding that by "positive result", he meant that no weapons have been recovered from the camps. The Hindu, January 22, 2011.

Government offers 29-point proposal to NSCN-IM: The Union Home Ministry offered a 29-point proposal to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), said the outfit’s ‘Minister for Religious affairs’ P. Mor on January 24. The proposal included financial sops, facilities and accommodating the "Kilonsers" (Ministers) of the NSCN-IM as members of parliament and the "Tatars" (members) as ministers in the State. Nagaland Post, January 27, 2011.

‘Commander-in-Chief’ Paresh Baruah’s video clip creates confusion over peace talks, claims ULFA ‘secretary’ Jiten Dutta: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) ‘secretary’ Jiten Dutta said on January 28 that at a time when the ULFA’s Central Committee is making an effort to hold talks with the Union Government, videos released by ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah on January 21 created confusion over peace talks. Dutta said, "They are trying to pressurize the executive committee of ULFA who are in Nalbari District (where the executive council meeting is going on). Paresh Barua’s threatening will not affect anyone from taking a decision in favour of the public of Assam." Nagaland Post, January 29, 2011.


NEPAL


PLA gets a final shape of monitoring mechanism: After the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was handed over to the Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants), the Supreme Court (SC) gave final shape to its monitoring mechanism. A meeting of SC named members of the monitoring mechanism that comprises four representatives each from SC and its Secretariat and one from PLA combatants. Barsha Man Pun of the Unified Communist party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M), Ram Sharan Mahat of Nepali Congress (NC), Ishwor Pokharel of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and Jitendra Dev of Madheshi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic (MJF-D) will represent SC in the nine-member monitoring mechanism. Balananda Sharma of NC, Chandra Prakash Khanal of UCPN-M, Gopal Singh Bohara of CPN-UML and Mahesh B Karki of the Nepali Army will join the mechanism from the Secretariat. In addition, PLA ‘commander’ Nanda Kishor Pun will represent the UCPN-M. Himalayan Times, January 25, 2011.

Parliamentary Panel approves changes to end deadlock over PM election: A top Parliamentary Panel in Nepal on January 25 approved key changes in the rules for electing a Prime Minister (PM) that would make it mandatory to vote for a new leader in the House. The five-member parliamentary committee headed by Ek Raj Bhandari recommended making it mandatory to vote in a multi-cornered Prime Ministerial poll in the House. Times of India, January 26, 2011.


PAKISTAN

118 militants and 12 civilians among 133 persons killed during the week in FATA: At least 46 terrorists were killed by the Security Forces (SFs) in separate incidents in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on January 30. 20 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and six Turi Bangash tribesmen were killed and two TTP militants were injured in Kurram Agency. In addition, the SFs backed by gunship helicopters and artillery, pounded terrorists’ suspected positions in Pandiali, Safi, Banizai and Ambar tehsils (revenue units) of Mohmand Agency and killed 16 terrorists. Separately, the SFs killed 10 TTP terrorists in Orakzai Agency.

Security Forces (SFs), in an air strike, killed nine militants belonging to the TTP on January 29 in Saafi tehsil (revenue unit) of Mohmand Agency FATA, near Afghan border.

SFs bombed terrorist hideouts in a tribal region near the Afghan border on January 28, killing 28 terrorists. In addition, five terrorists, including a ‘commander’, were killed by SFs in different areas of Mohmand.

At least 11 terrorists, including one suicide bomber, were killed on January 27 in separate incidents in the Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan. Separately, in Mohmand Agency, six people, including three women and two children, were killed in Swezai area of Pandyali tehsil when stray shells hit their houses.

At least 18 suspected militants were killed and 22 others were injured when gunship helicopters and fighter jets bombed militant hideouts in different parts of Mohmand Agency on January. Dawn; Daily Times;Tribune; The News; Tribune, January 25-31, 2011 .

Spain arrests Pakistani national for terror links: Spanish Police on January 27 arrested a Pakistani national, Malik Imtanan Sarwar, suspected to be linked to a cell that forges passports for al Qaeda-linked outfits. Police had been looking for the suspect since seven members of the cell were arrested in Spain in December 2010 and three more in Thailand. Daily Times, January 29, 2011.

Al Qaeda’s safe havens along Pakistan-Afghanistan border shrinking, says US President Barack Obama: United States (US) President Barack Obama adhering to his plan to begin drawdown of some American troops from Afghanistan in 2011 said on January 25 that al Qaeda havens along Pakistan-Afghanistan border are shrinking and fewer Afghans live under the Taliban control. "Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe havens are shrinking," Obama said of al Qaeda in Pakistan. Daily Times, January 27, 2011.

Al Qaeda leader admits facing challenges from US drones, reveal intelligence reports: An al Qaeda leader, Ustadh Ahmad Farooq, in Pakistan on January 27 said the terror network is losing territory and fighters amid a United States (US) drone strike campaign. Speaking about the challenges facing al Qaeda Farooq in a speech said, "There were many areas where we once had freedom, but now they have been lost," he said, adding, "We are the ones that are losing people, we are the ones facing shortages of resources. Our land is shrinking and drones are flying in the sky." The US-based SITE Intelligence group, which tracks militant websites and other media, described Farooq as al Qaeda’s head of media and preaching in Pakistan. Daily Times, January 28, 2011.


SRI LANKA


Arrest warrants issued against six LTTE cadres: A Sri Lankan court on January 28 issued open arrest warrants against six prominent cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) believed to be living overseas. The court order will be implemented through the Interpol. Colombo Page, January 29, 2011.


The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.

SAIR is a project of the Institute for Conflict Management and the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

South Asia Intelligence Review [SAIR]

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K. P. S. Gill

Editor
Dr. Ajai Sahni


A Project of the
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