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Operation Khyber

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Operation Khyber
Part ofInsurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and theWar on terror

Khyber Agency is the yellow colored region
Date7 October 2014 – 21 August 2017
Location
Khyber Agency,FATA,Pakistan
Result

Pakistani victory

  • Area cleared of militants; militant bases dismantled[3]
  • Khyber returned to government control
Belligerents
Pakistan

Lashkar-e-Islam[1]
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan[1]

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province[2]
Commanders and leaders

President
Mamnoon Hussain

Prime Minister
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi(2017)
Nawaz Sharif(2014–2017)

Army Chief
Qamar Javed Bajwa(2016–2017)
Raheel Sharif(2014–2016)

Chairman JCSC
Zubair Hayat(2016–2017)
Rashad Mahmood(2014–16)

DGISI
Naveed Mukhtar
(2016–2017)
Rizwan Akhtar
(2014–2016)

Air Chief
Tahir Rafique Butt

Naval Chief
Muhammad Zakaullah		 Mangal Bagh†
Mullah Fazlullah†
Omar Khalid Khorasani†
Units involved

Pakistan Army

  • 21st Artillery Division

Pakistan Air Force

Khyber PakhtunkhwaFrontier Corps[4][5]		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
During Operation:
4 killed[6](as of 3 January 2015)
11 injured[6]		 In Pakistani offensive:
280+ killed[6](as of 3 January 2015)
400 surrendered[6]

Khyberwas the code-name for a 2014–2017 military offensive conducted byPakistan'smilitaryin theKhyber Agencyin four phases;Khyber-1,Khyber-2,Khyber-3andKhyber-4.

Khyber Agency was amongPakistan'sseven semi-autonomous tribal districtsnear theAfghan border,rife with insurgents and militants. Terrorist organisations includingAl QaedaandISIShave had presence there. The plains ofBaraheld strategic significance for militant groups as they connect the agency to the outskirts ofPeshawar.The key area also straddled theNATO supply lineintoAfghanistan.The region has been long fought over by a mix of militant organisations, including theTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan(TTP), the Ansar ul Islam and Mangal Bagh'sLashkar-e-Islam.

History

[edit]

Operation Khyber was originally announced in 2014 as a part ofPakistan Army's extension ofOperation Zarb-e-Azbto parts ofKhyber Agency.It was conducted in four phases, with Khyber-4 targetingISISamong other terrorist organizations.

Khyber-1

[edit]

Amid failed attempts to negotiate with militants, Pakistan army declared the time to negotiate for terrorists operating in the restiveTehsilwas over and that militants had no option but to either lay down arms or face a military crackdown. The operation 'Khyber-1' began withairstrikesagainstLashkar-e-Islamouts in areas under the Mangal Bagh led group's control inTirahand Bara on 17 October 2014, Ultimately killing 21 militants and destroying their three key bases. Sources said the main aim of the operation was to clear Khyber fromBarato the border ofTirah valley,following which the second phase of the operation will begin.[7]

Khyber-2

[edit]

Announced in February 2015 and launched in March 2015, Operation Khyber-2 was aimed to clear theTirah valleymain target beingTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.TheTirah Valleyconsists of deep valleys and high mountains, a suitable time of year was chosen, although resulting in many casualties of Pakistan Armed Forces, the operation was successful. The operation formally ended on 15 June 2015, marking a one-year anniversary ofOperation Zarb-e-Azab.[8]

Khyber-3

[edit]

Launched on 16 August 2016, Khyber-3 intended to clear areas beyond theTirah Valleycloser to theDurand Linenine militant dens were decimated along the border, Large dumps of arms and ammunitions were discovered, More than 40 terrorists were killed and 21 injured, the operation ended up greatly affecting the cross border movement of terrorists.[9]The operation Khyber-3 was conceived ended with the start of Khyber-4.

Khyber-4

[edit]
[10]

Operation Khyber-4 was announced on 15 July 2017 as part ofPakistan Army's ongoing offensiveOperation Radd-ul-Fasaadagainst militancy.[11]

Launched on 15 July 2017, phase I aimed to clear Rajgal valley, targetingJamat-ul-Ahraramong other terrorist organizations, more than 13 terrorists were killed and 6 injured. A Pakistani soldier was also killed in exchange of fire. A total area of 90 kilometres was cleared with the help ofPakistan Air Force.TheInter-Services Public Relations(ISPR) announced the end of first phase of Operation Khyber-4 on 21 July 2017, declaring the operation to be successful.[12]

On 21 August 2017, Director General ISPR Maj GenAsif Ghafoorannounced the successful completion of Operation Khyber-4. The ground objectives in the Rajgal and Shawal valleys were achieved.[13]During the campaign, 52 terrorists were killed, 32 injured, four surrendered and one was arrested. Two soldiers of the Pakistan Army were also killed in the six-week long counter-terrorism operation.[14]

Belligerents

[edit]
Main article:Pakistan Armed Forces

Lashkar-e-Islam (Urdu:لشكرِ اسلام), (LIorLeI) (literallyArmy ofIslam) is a militant organization active in and aroundKhyber Agency,Federally Administered Tribal Areas,Pakistan.LeI was founded in 2004 byMufti Munir Shakir.Currently the organization is headed byMangal Bagh.LeI had control inTirahandBara.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a militantIslamistgroup that split away from theTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistanin August 2014.[15]On 9 November 2014, JuA spokesmanEhsanullah Ehsanconfirmed that Abu Jandal was leading a contingent of 50 fighters in battle against the Pakistani security forces in Tirah. He further said that 50 more fighters would soon be on their way to the valley.[16]

Tehrik-i-Taliban is anumbrella organizationof variousIslamistmilitant groups based in the northwesternFederally Administered Tribal Areasalong theAfghan borderinPakistan.Mangal Baghis reported to have requested TTP and other militant groups to send their fighters to the Tirah valley to support LI. The TTP had announced it would send fighters to join LI.[1]

Preparations

[edit]

Pakistan'ssecurity forces had blocked all entry and exit points of Bara at least two days ahead of the Khyber-1 military operation.[citation needed]

Timeline

[edit]
  • On 16 October 2014, twenty-one suspected militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed in air strikes on the militant groupLashkar-e-Islamin theAka Khelarea.[17]
  • On 17 October 2014, at least nine suspected militants were killed and 10 others were injured in an operation in the Bara area.[7]
  • On 25 October 2014, 18 militants were killed in Pakistani air strikes in Khyber Agency's Khyber district near the Afghan border.[18]
  • On 29 October 2014, Twenty militants were killed and eight others were injured in airstrikes by Pakistan Air Force in Akka Khel area of the Khyber Agency.[19]
  • On 9 November 2014, at least 27 militants were killed and two soldiers died as security forces carried out strikes in Akakhel and Tirah areas. Those killed included a key militant commander and two suicide bombers. Ten militant hideouts and an ammunition depot were also destroyed, according toISPR.[20]
  • On 11 November 2014, at least nine militants were killed and 12 others injured in a clash between security forces and militants in the Akakhel area of Bara Agency. Four key militant commanders also surrendered to authorities.[21]
  • On 12 November 2014, at least 19 militants were killed during air strikes in Sandapal and Akakhel areas of Khyber Agency. According to the ISPR, an important militant commander was also killed. Furthermore, the air strikes destroyed at least five militant hideouts and an ammunition depot in the area.[22]
  • On 21 November 2014, at least twenty-two militants were killed inairstrikesagainst militant hideouts in various parts of Tirah valley of Khyber Agency, according toISPR.[23]
  • On 28 November 2014 at least 11 suspected militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed in airstrikes in Tirah valley.[24]
  • On 29 November 2014, Two Taliban commanders were killed in a clash with the security forces in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency. Official sources said that the clash occurred in Lashora area of Jamrud which left militant commanders ofTehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan,Abubakar and Wajid, dead.[25]
  • On 30 April 2015, security forces captured the strong holds at Sandapal, Tordara, Kundwala and Mehrban Killay inKhyber Agencyafter an intense battle with terrorists. As a result, 27 terrorists were killed while 5 soldiers including an officer "Captain Ajmal" wereKIA.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcZahir Shah Sherazi (25 November 2014)."Mullah Fazlullah escapes drone strike near Pak-Afghan border: sources".Retrieved14 December2014.
  2. ^Madeeha Anwar (28 July 2017)."Afghanistan Criticizes Pakistan's Anti-IS Operations".Voice of America.Retrieved30 July2017.
  3. ^"Military operation in Khyber ends successfully".3 July 2015.
  4. ^"Dunya News: Pakistan:-Khyber Agency: Six killed in US drone strike..."14 February 2008.Retrieved14 December2014.
  5. ^"Khyber Agency: Drone strike kills ten suspected militants in Nazyan – Pakistan – Dunya News".dunyanews.tv.14 February 2008.Retrieved14 December2014.
  6. ^abcd"Tirah blitz leaves 31 suspected militants dead".The Express Tribune.3 January 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 4 January 2015.Retrieved3 January2015.
  7. ^abZahir Shah Sherazi (17 October 2014)."Nine killed as military operation launched in Khyber".Retrieved14 December2014.
  8. ^Khan, Ismail (3 July 2015)."Military operation in Khyber ends successfully".DAWN.COM.Retrieved23 July2017.
  9. ^"Operation Khyber III achievements so far".Times of Islamabad.22 August 2016.Retrieved23 July2017.
  10. ^"Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan".
  11. ^Dawn (16 July 2017)."Army launches Operation Khyber-4 in Rajgal Valley".DAWN.COM.Retrieved23 July2017.
  12. ^"First phase of Operation Khyber-4 successfully completed: ISPR".geo.tv.Retrieved23 July2017.
  13. ^"Army announces conclusion of Operation Khyber-4 in wide-ranging press conference".Dawn.21 August 2017.Retrieved27 August2017.
  14. ^Yousaf, Kamran (21 August 2017)."Rajgal cleansed of terrorists as military concludes Operation Khyber-IV".Express Tribune.Retrieved27 August2017.
  15. ^"Pakistan Taliban faction announce split, new leader".Agence France-Presse.4 September 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 11 November 2014.Retrieved11 November2014.
  16. ^"Jamaatul Ahrar confirms death of commander in Khyber airstrikes".Dawn.10 November 2014.
  17. ^Ibrahim Shinwari (17 October 2014)."21 militants killed in Khyber air strikes".Retrieved14 December2014.
  18. ^"Air strikes kill 18 militants in Khyber Agency".The Express Tribune.26 October 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 28 October 2014.Retrieved2 November2014.
  19. ^"Air strikes kill 20 militants in Khyber Agency".Geo News.29 October 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 2 November 2014.Retrieved2 November2014.
  20. ^Zahir Shah Sherazi (9 November 2014)."Security forces kill 27 militants, destroy 10 hideouts in Khyber Agency: ISPR".Retrieved14 December2014.
  21. ^Zahir Shah Sherazi – Mateen Haider (11 November 2014)."Two soldiers, 24 militants killed in Orakzai, Bara".Retrieved14 December2014.
  22. ^Zahir Shah Sherazi (12 November 2014)."19 militants killed in air strikes in Khyber Agency".Retrieved14 December2014.
  23. ^Zahir Shah Sherazi (21 November 2014)."Twenty-two militants killed in Khyber strikes".Retrieved14 December2014.
  24. ^Ibrahim Shinwari (29 November 2014)."11 killed in Tirah air attack".Retrieved14 December2014.
  25. ^Zahir Shah Sherazi (29 November 2014)."Two key Taliban commanders killed in Khyber clash: sources".Retrieved14 December2014.
  26. ^"Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan".
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