Operation Zalzala
Encyclopedia
The Operation Zalzala was a Pakistan Army
military offensive manhunt
and a counter-insurgent
operation that was commenced on January 18 of 2008. The operation concluded withmixed results as the army had successfully captured the area, but the army was failed to capture or killed the Qari Hussain, the main objective of the operation.
is a small town in South Waziristan
, Federally Administered Tribal Areas
, Pakistan
. Located in autonomous area of Pakistan, the town is mostly inhabitant by the by Pashtun tribe Mahsud. Since 2004, the South-Waziristan had been a major control and command area of Taliban and Al-Qaida forces since it was cleared by Pakistan Defence Forces in 2009. (See Operation Rah-e-Nijat
)
(GOC) of 14th Infantry Division served the Operation's Officer Commanding. Brigadier-General Ali Abbas, Officer commanding of 20th Mountaineering Division, served as the local commander of his combat brigade.
On January 20, 2008, the operation was launched. The army swept the area through with AH-1 Cobra helicopters, artillery and Al-Zarrar
and Al-Khalid tanks that crunched across a parched riverbed. The troops were later inserted in the area and the manhunt operation was later introduced. During the operation, the army aimed to kill Qari Hussain
, the chief Tailban chief ideologist who was considered an expert in preparing suicide attacks. After four days of heavy fighting, more than 25 militants and six soldiers died. However, the army was unable to killed or captured Qari Hussain. After months of heavy fighting, an unknown number of Taliban militants were killed, and they had abandoned their positions. Within a first week of February, the army had captured the entire town and the army was in full control of it. The militants were later retreated up the valley. The militants had again launched their attacks on the troops but they were unable to re-gain the control of the town as they had suffered major human casualties.
On May 18, 2008, during the media briefing, the army at Spainkai Raghzai had announced that they had intercepted militants’ wireless communication saying that Qari Hussain had been killed in the several weeks long operation launched on January 24. However,on May 26, it was later revealed that the Qari Hussain had survived the operation, and Pakistan Army was unable to find or kill Qari Hussain during the operation.
". Bulldozers and explosives experts turned Spinkai's bazaar into a mile-long pile of rubble. Petrol stations, shops, and even parts of the hospital were levelled or blown up. The villagers were forbidden from returning to their homes.
The sporadic fighting continued in the area, and the troops were still fighting the Taliban forces. Following the operation, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) offered a truce and peace negotiations resulting in a suspension of violence. In spite of the victory in the operation, on May 21, 2008 Pakistan signed a peace agreement with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
military offensive manhunt
Manhunt (military)
Manhunting is the deliberate identification, capturing, or killing of senior or otherwise important enemy combatants, classified as high-value targets, usually by special operations forces and intelligence organizations...
and a counter-insurgent
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
operation that was commenced on January 18 of 2008. The operation concluded withmixed results as the army had successfully captured the area, but the army was failed to capture or killed the Qari Hussain, the main objective of the operation.
Location
SpinkaiSpinkai
Spinkai is a town in South Waziristan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan. This semi-autonomous area is inhabited by Pashtun tribe Mahsud. In January 2008, Pakistan Army launched Operation Zalzala to flush out the Taliban militants belonging to Baitullah Mehsud groupOn 20 May 2008, the...
is a small town in South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Located in autonomous area of Pakistan, the town is mostly inhabitant by the by Pashtun tribe Mahsud. Since 2004, the South-Waziristan had been a major control and command area of Taliban and Al-Qaida forces since it was cleared by Pakistan Defence Forces in 2009. (See Operation Rah-e-Nijat
Operation Rah-e-Nijat
The Operation Rah-e-Nijat was a Pakistani military operation against the Taliban and other Islamist rebels in the South Waziristan area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas that began on June 19, 2009; a major ground offensive was subsequently launched on October 17...
)
Firefight
On 15 and 16 January 2008, several pro-Taliban militants had overrun Ludha and Sararogha Fort, which resulted in Taliban victory as they had killed and kidnapped several soldiers. On January 24, the Pakistan Army started a full-fledged operation called 'Zalzala' (earthquake). The operation was led by Pakistan Army’s 14th Infantry Division as it was supported by 20th Mountaineering Brigade. Major-General Tariq Khan, General Officer CommandingGeneral Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
(GOC) of 14th Infantry Division served the Operation's Officer Commanding. Brigadier-General Ali Abbas, Officer commanding of 20th Mountaineering Division, served as the local commander of his combat brigade.
On January 20, 2008, the operation was launched. The army swept the area through with AH-1 Cobra helicopters, artillery and Al-Zarrar
Al-Zarrar
The Al-Zarrar is a modern main battle tank developed and manufactured by Heavy Industries Taxila of Pakistan for the Pakistan Army. The KMDB design bureau of Ukraine also took part in the development project....
and Al-Khalid tanks that crunched across a parched riverbed. The troops were later inserted in the area and the manhunt operation was later introduced. During the operation, the army aimed to kill Qari Hussain
Qari Hussain
Qari Hussain Ahmad Mehsud was a top lieutenant in the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the organizer of the group's suicide bombing squads. He was a cousin of Hakimullah Mehsud.- Operations :...
, the chief Tailban chief ideologist who was considered an expert in preparing suicide attacks. After four days of heavy fighting, more than 25 militants and six soldiers died. However, the army was unable to killed or captured Qari Hussain. After months of heavy fighting, an unknown number of Taliban militants were killed, and they had abandoned their positions. Within a first week of February, the army had captured the entire town and the army was in full control of it. The militants were later retreated up the valley. The militants had again launched their attacks on the troops but they were unable to re-gain the control of the town as they had suffered major human casualties.
On May 18, 2008, during the media briefing, the army at Spainkai Raghzai had announced that they had intercepted militants’ wireless communication saying that Qari Hussain had been killed in the several weeks long operation launched on January 24. However,on May 26, it was later revealed that the Qari Hussain had survived the operation, and Pakistan Army was unable to find or kill Qari Hussain during the operation.
Aftermath
During the operation, the town's infrastructure was nearly demolished. More than 200,000 people were displaced. After the operation, the army troops had discovered bomb factories and schools for teenage suicide bombers. The hate literature and CDs were also confiscated by the army. Four months later the villagers were forbidden from returning home. Their wheat was rotted in the fields. But Pakistani military commanders insist they have been merciful in their application of "collective punishmentCollective punishment
Collective punishment is the punishment of a group of people as a result of the behavior of one or more other individuals or groups. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions...
". Bulldozers and explosives experts turned Spinkai's bazaar into a mile-long pile of rubble. Petrol stations, shops, and even parts of the hospital were levelled or blown up. The villagers were forbidden from returning to their homes.
The sporadic fighting continued in the area, and the troops were still fighting the Taliban forces. Following the operation, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) offered a truce and peace negotiations resulting in a suspension of violence. In spite of the victory in the operation, on May 21, 2008 Pakistan signed a peace agreement with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).