Wana
Encyclopedia
Wana is the largest town of South Waziristan Agency
in Pakistan
's FATA
(Federally Administrated Tribal Areas). It is the summer headquarters for the Agency's administration, Tank located in neighbouring Tank District
being the winter HQ
period, beginning in the late 19th century, the British
established a cantonment on the Wana Plain which was used as a headquarters by the British forces in South Waziristan until they departed India
after the partition in 1947
. During their rule, the ferocious Pushtun tribes of Waziristan
- part of the Karlan
ri Tribal Confederation - gave the British much headache. In fact, the British, known then as the 'foreigners' , had to deal with a full fledged insurgency in Waziristan in the 1930s. At one point during the 30s, the British had up to 18,000 troops in and around Waziristan, with Wana being used as the forward headquarters and airbase.
of the Wana Plain and others in the area . The Pakistan Armed forces have conducted armed operations against these Al-Qaeda
members since August 2003 off and on with limited success. Perhaps the town's most violent incident in the War on Terror
was the Battle of Wana
which took place in March 2004 and included fighters from the Pakistani Army against Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. More than 100 armed personnel were killed during the week of the fighting.
after stealing the radio equipment. Militants set up several small stations in the tribal areas, and the station had already cut back its broadcasts to a minimum because of repeated Taliban harassment
and had been avoiding any controversial programming, including music. (AKI) To add to the confusion the militants also told local residents that they could steal government property and consider anything taken as war booty. Soon crowds started breaking into government offices and taking away anything they could carry. New government housing and government offices located near the main base of Pakistan's Frontier Corps were destroyed. According to a report in Dawn News
, local security stood by as even a newly built security post was destroyed.
Agency are some members of the Mahsud
and Bhittani
tribes who live in the surroundings of Wana.
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...
in 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...
's FATA
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...
(Federally Administrated Tribal Areas). It is the summer headquarters for the Agency's administration, Tank located in neighbouring Tank District
Tank District
Tank , is the southern district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, the city of Tank is the capital of the district, which consists Union Council City I and Union Council City II. There are totally sixteen Union councils of district Tank. Tank was formerly part of district Dera Ismail...
being the winter HQ
Colonial history
During the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
period, beginning in the late 19th century, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
established a cantonment on the Wana Plain which was used as a headquarters by the British forces in South Waziristan until they departed India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after the partition in 1947
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. During their rule, the ferocious Pushtun tribes of Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
- part of the Karlan
Karlan
Karlan or Kalanai is said to have been a direct descendant of Ghurghusht the second son of the legendary Qais Abdur Rashid, the folklorish ancestor of the Pashtun people. He was the son of Burhan himself the son of Ghurghusht. Because of the numerous tribes associated with his name, he is sometimes...
ri Tribal Confederation - gave the British much headache. In fact, the British, known then as the 'foreigners' , had to deal with a full fledged insurgency in Waziristan in the 1930s. At one point during the 30s, the British had up to 18,000 troops in and around Waziristan, with Wana being used as the forward headquarters and airbase.
Wana in the War on Terror
It is currently in the eye of a storm because of the embedded presence of another set of foreigners (Al-Qaeda) who have affiliated themselves with the Taliban-aligned Ahmadzai WazirisWazir (tribe)
Wazirs or Waziris are a Pashtun tribe settled in the North Waziristan and South Waziristan agencies of Pakistan as well in the urban cities of Tank, F.R Bannu,i.e Domel and adjacent villages, Karachi and Lahore. Across the border, they can also be found in Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces of...
of the Wana Plain and others in the area . The Pakistan Armed forces have conducted armed operations against these Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
members since August 2003 off and on with limited success. Perhaps the town's most violent incident in the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
was the Battle of Wana
Battle of Wana
The Battle of Wana was a military engagement between Pakistan Army and the Taliban forces, supported by the foreign fighters of Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda. The battle was among one of the bloodiest battle fought by the Pakistan Army, and it ended violently with 49 infantry troop soldiers dead...
which took place in March 2004 and included fighters from the Pakistani Army against Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. More than 100 armed personnel were killed during the week of the fighting.
Attacks on Government offices
On the evening of Thursday, April 2, 2009, militants blew up the only local government radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
after stealing the radio equipment. Militants set up several small stations in the tribal areas, and the station had already cut back its broadcasts to a minimum because of repeated Taliban harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
and had been avoiding any controversial programming, including music. (AKI) To add to the confusion the militants also told local residents that they could steal government property and consider anything taken as war booty. Soon crowds started breaking into government offices and taking away anything they could carry. New government housing and government offices located near the main base of Pakistan's Frontier Corps were destroyed. According to a report in Dawn News
Dawn News
Dawn News was Pakistan's 24-hour Urdu news channel. Based in Karachi, the station is a subsidiary of Pakistan Herald Publications Limited , Pakistan's largest English-language media group. The test transmission of the station occurred on May 25, 2007, and the channel went live on July 23, 2007...
, local security stood by as even a newly built security post was destroyed.
Ethnic background of inhabitants
Inhabitants of Wana are Muslim Pushtuns, primarily Ahmedzai Waziris. from the Wazir tribe. Also in South WaziristanSouth 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...
Agency are some members of the Mahsud
Mahsud
Mahsud is a Pashtun tribe in South Waziristan, a tribal region in Pakistan. Mahsud are considered to be one of the bravest and toughest Pashtun Tribes. The Mahsud tribe lives in the centre of South Waziristan valley, surrounded on three sides by the Darwesh Waziris, and being shut off by the...
and Bhittani
Bhittani
The Bhittani/Bettani is a Pashtun tribe located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The Bettanis reside in a territory that is a buffer zone separating Tank District from the Mahsud tribe of South Waziristan Region. The Bettani tribe live in the Frontier Region of Tank District...
tribes who live in the surroundings of Wana.