Another story on diplomatic efforts to weaken the insurgency, but this one focuses on the Haqqani Network and their sway over the Zadran tribe. And also some militant named Maulvi Abdul Kabir, who headed the Taliban's Peshawar Shura and was "captured" by Pakistani security forces last year. Given Kabir's reported-travels to Afghanistan, Pakistan appears to be involved. Given the lack of clarity surrounding Kabir's current influence over the insurgency in the east, Pakistan's assistance in this matter could be more half-hearted than it appears.
Afghanistan:
Facing a short-fall of trainers, NATO is
sending hundreds of Afghan recruits to train outside of the country. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey are both participating.
Late Sunday-night, militants reportedly stormed a district in the south/south-eastern province of Ghazni but have since been repelled.
A jount U.S./Russia counter-narcotic operation took place in the east and netted over two-hundred-and-fifty dollars worth of drugs. This was the first such joint-raid of its kind.
A NATO general has said that the effect of the operations in Kandahar will not be able to be measured until June, when the traditional fighting-season will begin to heat up again.
Over the past week according to my count, nearly two-hundred suspected insurgents were killed and over five dozen others captured while another two dozen surrendered in Afghanistan. About 20 low-to-mid level commanders were killed or captured. Targeted raids continue to be a big focus of NATO's anti-Taliban efforts. Despite the fact that the temperature is dropping, the number of suspected-insurgents killed is higher this week than last week. Much of this is because of a failed Haqqani Network assault against a NATO outpost in Paktika province, in which almost eighty militants are thought to have perished. The militants(especially Haqqani's) have tried a number of such assaults againt NATO outposts, especially in the south-east, and none of them have worked this year. Last year, two high-profile assaults(especially one at a place called "Wanat") sent chills throughout NATO. Sourcing for the captured/killed numbers can be found at the bottom of this entry. The overwhelming-majority of incidents which lead to the reported-numbers took place in the south and the south/south-east.
Federally-Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan:
Another drone strike hits the North Waziristan town of Mir Ali, which lays east of the main town of Miramshah. Also in Mir Ali, Baitullah Mehsud's brother was assassinated by unknown assailants. Baitullah Mehsud was the chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, better known as the "Pakistani Taliban", before he died in a drone strike last year. North Waziristan remains tense as uncertainty lingers over a possible Pakistani military offensive into the tribal agency. If such an operation were in the works(key word; "were"), it would have to wait out the winter.
To the north in Central-FATA, the Pakistani Taliban demonstrated that they have not been driven out of their "second-home"in the Orakzai tribal agency. In front of about six-hundred people, the militants flogged sixty-five men for using and selling drugs.
Pakistan:
Oxfam warns that Pakistani flood aid is drying up, and millions could be affected.
Analysts say Pakistan's poor governance is fueling militancy.
Another group of analysts warn that al Qaeda Central may seek to exploit Pakistani/Indian tensions, which isn't really news at all.
Two more NATO oil tankers were attacked while en route to eastern Afghanistan from Pakistan's port-city of Karachi.
A Pakistani perspective on Pakistani-spying.
Maps:
When considering the situation in Pashtunistan, consider these maps of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is in the Pashtun areas where the U.S. and NATO have the most problems. It's important to note that while Pashtuns make up a much larger proportion of the population of Afghanistan than they do in Pakistan, there are still more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. Here is a good map and rundown of the areas that make up the main warzone.
ISAF/Media Sources Regarding Insurgent Killed/Captured Numbers:
10/25
2 C, Ghazni, 1 Low.
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
15 K, 2 C, Helmand , 1 Low-Mid http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Kandahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Khost, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 K, 2 C, Paktika. 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, 2 C, Bagdhis.(looking for 1 Low..)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Zabul, 1 Low.
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
*20 K, 16 C
5 Low, 1 Low-Mid
10/26
2 K, Takhar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Nimruz(looking for 1 Low)
2 C, Kandahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Khost(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Logar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Paktiya, AT LEAST 1 LOW, possibly as high as Mid
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
5 K, Helmand
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
10/27
3 C, Khost, 1 Low
2 C, Zabul(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, 1 C, Baghlan(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 K, Herat, 1 Low
http://tolonews.com/...
1 C, Nuristan, 1 Low
8 K, Kandahar, 1 Low
http://www.pajhwok.com/...
1 K, Helmand, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
39 K, 34 C
13 Low, 1 Low-Mid
10/28
10 C, Kandahar(looking for 1 Mid)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Logar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1K, Khost(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Paktika(looking for 1 Low)
2 C,Khost(looking for 1 low)
2 C, Kandahar
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
10/29
21 K, Kandahar
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, 2 C, Paktika, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, Zabul, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
24 K, Kandahar
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Paktia, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
10/30
78 K, 2 C, Paktika
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Wardak, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, Kapisa
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
11 K, Helmand
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
180 K, 60 C
18 Low, 1 Low-Mid
10/31
17 K, Helmand
http://news.xinhuanet.com/...
3 C, Helmand, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Helmand
1 C, Ghazni
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
15 S, Herat
http://news.xinhuanet.com/...
8 S, Baghlan
http://news.xinhuanet.com/...
*Kunar Operation http://www.dvidshub.net/...
197 K, 66 C, 23 S
19 Low, 1 Low-Mid