Hunt launched for key militants

Published December 18, 2004

ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Military authorities in South Waziristan have launched a hunt for three top militants - Uzbek national Yaldeshev, Abdullah Mehsud, the self-proclaimed local leader, and Baitullah Mehsud, the commander of militant forces in Mehsud territory, sources told Dawn.

They said that after dismantling militant camps, gaining control of the area and seizing tons of ammunition in South Waziristan, the troops in the region were now looking for the three key men.

The authorities are confident that the three and other militants on the run will be captured soon, as they are facing an acute shortage of ammunition. The sources claim that Abdullah Mehsud, 29, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, is now left with only about 15 hardcore militants around him.

Mehsud, a graduate of the Gomal University, is the alleged mastermind of the Oct 9 kidnapping of two Chinese engineers working on a dam in South Waziristan which ended in the death of one of the engineers.

His brother is a serving major in the Pakistan army who is apparently helping the security forces in tracing him. It is learnt that an attempt made by the security forces last month for a truce with Mehsud did not succeed.

FUNDING: The sources said that in the first week of October, Rs60 million was distributed through the Al Qaeda network to its three key operatives in the area. One of the recipients was Abdullah Mehsud, the sources maintained.

According to the sources, the cash, mostly in dollars, comes generally from countries in the Middle East and Central Asia and large amounts are distributed among local people to provide refuge to foreign militants. It was found that in one particular case a Madressah was paid Rs100,000 for providing shelter to militants for one month.

HUMAN SMUGGLING: A series of raids and search operations conducted by the security forces and communication intercepts have uncovered a racket of human smuggling, particularly child trafficking in the area, which, according to the sources, is at its peak.

The sources say most of the people smuggled are unemployed youths. These young men are brought from Central Asian Republics (mostly Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and North Afghanistan.

They are then indoctrinated and trained for carrying out terrorist acts. Other recruits are either criminals or proclaimed offenders. Children can also be hired for two-week assignments for $250, the sources said citing intelligence gathered by security forces.

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