Start date October 2014 | Location Khyber Agency, Pakistan | |
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125+ In Pakistani offensive280+ killed (as of 3rd January 2015)400 surrendered Similar Operation Zarb‑e‑Azb, Orakzai and Kurram of, Operation Sirat‑e‑Mustaqeem, Operation Rah‑e‑Nijat, Battle of Bajaur | ||
Khyber is the code-name for a military offensive being conducted by Pakistan's military in the Khyber Agency in two phases Khyber-1 and Khyber-2.
Contents
Khyber Agency is among Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous tribal districts near the Afghan border, rife with homegrown insurgents and foreign militants. Terrorist organisations including Al Qaeda also have a presence there. The plains of Bara hold strategic significance for militant groups as they connect the agency to the outskirts of Peshawar. The key area also straddles the NATO supply line into Afghanistan. The region has been long fought over by a mix of militant organisations, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Ansarul Islam and Mangal Bagh’s Lashkar-e-Islam.
Background
After negotiations with militant groups, Khyber Agency political agent Shahab Ali Shah said that the time for negotiations with militant groups operating in the restive Tehsil was over and that militants had no option but to either lay down arms or face a military crackdown. The operation began with airstrikes against Lashkar-e-Islam hideouts in areas under the Mangal Bagh-led group’s control in Tirah and Bara, killing 21 militants and destroying their three key bases. Sources said the main aim of the operation was to clear Khyber from Bara to the border of Tirah valley, following which the second phase of the operation will begin.
Belligerents
Lashkar-e-Islam (Urdu: لشكرِ اسلام), (LI or LeI) literally Army of Islam) is a militant organization active in and around Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan. LeI was founded in 2004 by Mufti Munir Shakir. Currently the organization is headed by Mangal Bagh. LeI had control in Tirah and Bara.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a militant Islamist group that split away from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in August 2014. On 9 November 2014, JuA spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed 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.
Tehrik-i-Taliban is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Mangal Bagh is 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.
The United States government has attacked and killed many militants in Khyber Agency, during Operation Khyber, using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Preparations
Pakistan's security forces had blocked all entry and exit points of Bara at least two days ahead of the Khyber-1 military operation.