Counterterrorism Blog

While President Musharraf's allies are losing the Pakistan parliamentary election, two Pakistan papers are reporting that tribal elders in North Waziristan have reached a new "peace agreement" with the North Waziristan political administration against "extremism" and "terrorism." The Daily Times quotes a press release: "The political administration of North Waziristan and all sub-tribes and clans of Wazir and Daur tribes have agreed to jointly struggle against extremism and terrorism throughout the agency... The agreement was signed in Miranshah (headquarters of North Waziristan)." The Dawn news agency reported on two key differences between the new agreement and the September 2006 agreement which ceded control of the NW provinces to terrorists:

"Unlike the old agreement which had been signed by militants, the latest endorsement had come from 280-odd tribal elders who would also work to implement it in letter and spirit, instead of the old 45-member monitoring committee that had failed to oversee its implementation.

Also, they said, with the latest endorsement the terms of the agreement would extend to the whole of North Waziristan, including Miramshah and Mirali.

The old agreement held sway in Miramshah only, since a militant group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar, had its influence limited to the regional headquarters only and had no control in Mirali, a sub-district, according to officials, was a hub of foreign militants."

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross posted often on the September 2006 accords, beginning on the day after they were signed:
Pakistan's Peace Deal with Terrorist Factions a Major Blow to U.S.
State Department Endorses Pakistan's Retreat
N.Y. Times: Al-Qaeda Gaining Strength in Pakistan, Waziristan Accord Has Failed

We'll see how the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and their terrorist associates in North Waziristan react to this announcement. The Dawn article also noted, "Significantly, militants in North Waziristan remained neutral as security forces launched an operation in neighbouring South Waziristan against militants led by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud." Paul Cruickshank posted on February 5 that "Baitullah Mehsud, the head of the Pakistani Taliban, whom the CIA believe ordered the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, also orchestrated a plot last month to attack Barcelona and other European cities." Prior to that, on January 22, Evan Kohlmann posted a NEFA Foundation interview with Taliban spokesman Taliban spokesman Zahidullah Mujahid, who denied both Taliban involvement in the Bhutto assassination and close coordination between the Taliban and Mehsud. On January 14, Olivier Guitta posted that a Taliban leader in Waziristan stated, "It is impossible to stop us. We have spies all along the border who tell us about the U.S. patrols. We also have spies inside their military bases."