Internet Anthropologist Think Tank: Biatullah Mahsoud Hiding here

'Baitullah's hideout' in S. Waziristan bombed

By Our Correspondent

TANK, Jan 3: Warplanes bombed suspected locations of militants in South Waziristan on Thursday after an intelligence report that Pakistan Tehrik-i-Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud was hiding somewhere in the area.

Local people said that two planes dropped six bombs and attacked various areas in Tiarza, Emer Raghzai and Enzer in Sara Rogha subdivision at about 2pm.
Tank/Wana intersection: area: ( thanks to a tipster. )

....
Google resolution 26,600 ft.?

Reports about casualties were not available till late night.

Sources said that a bomb exploded near a seminary in Emer Raghzai.

The government has blamed Baitullah for the gun-and-bomb attack at Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27 in which former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and 23 other people were killed.

The militant commander has denied the government claim.

On the Tank-Wana road, some armed men in the area, meanwhile, looted four vehicles carrying food for security forces in Berwand area.

Describing the situation in the Mehsud area as serious, former MNA Maulana Mirajuddin said the militants had linked release of four paramilitary soldiers with the freeing of their six comrades.

The former MNA, who has been negotiating with the militants to secure the release of the kidnapped soldiers, said that the Taliban had reiterated their condition that their six associates must be freed.

The militants had kidnapped the soldiers of Dir Scouts in Tiarza on Tuesday.

Maulana Mirajuddin said the government had agreed to release the six militants and 25 suspects in exchange for 213 hostage soldiers on Nov 4.

He said the situation was deteriorating as security forces and the militants were preparing for a confrontation.

He said that innocent people had been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the security personnel.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/04/top6.htm

http://tinyurl.com/2qylf2

Video: Fly over in operation, comming soon. This is a good over all look. Alternate Option:

g

TANK: Police foiled a sabotage bid by recovering 25kilogram explosive material on Tank-Wana Road here on Saturday.

Police defused two unexploded high-intensity bombs, which were planted along the road, by some unidentified miscreants. Police claimed the real target of the bombs were the security forces.

It was learnt that FC personnel, on a routine patrol at about 7 a.m., saw a suspicious package on roadside near old custom check post, about 14 kilometres from here.

Naib Subedar Sher Ajam informed the local police who, along with the bomb disposal squad, reached the spot and blocked the road for all kinds of traffic.

Police maintained that two locally-manufactured explosive devices, along with detonating tools, within a distance of about 316 yards from one another, were recovered and defused. They said 10 kilograms of explosive was put in a pressure cooker and 15 kilograms of explosive was put in a gas cylinder. Meanwhile, police gave away cash prizes to Hayat, Abdullah and six other officials for successfully foiling the sabotage attempt.
.
Update: 01.08.07
Soldier killed, three injured in Wana clash

* Three soldiers kidnapped in South Waziristan

WANA/ISLAMABAD: Clashes between security forces and militants in South Waziristan left one soldier dead and three others injured on Tuesday, Online reported. Unidentified miscreants opened fire on checkposts at Tayyarza Force and Chaghmalai Force.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad confirmed the casualties. Armed men fired rockets and opened fire with automatic weapons at a security forces fort, an official told NNI. Separately, political agents said miscreants also targeted checkposts at Omar Adda, but no loss of life and property had been reported, Online said. Police in nearby Tank city said unidentified men fired several rockets at the city last night, but there was no casualties, NNI added.
SOURCE:

UPDATE: 01.11.07
Pakistan defeats militant attack in tribal region: army
AFP - 13 hours ago
The attack came hours after thousands of armed tribesmen met at Wana in South Waziristan on Wednesday, vowing to organise a lashkar (legion) to hunt down Al-Qaeda-linked militants blamed for killing eight of their kinsmen.
Pakistan wrestles with a 'soldier of peace' Asia Times Online
Tribesmen Killed in Northwest PakistanThe Associated Press

Fierce clashes in Tank after militants attack garrison
Pakistan Dawn - 2 hours ago
The forces also blocked Wana-Tank road and stopped supply of rations to South Waziristan. Clashes were also reported from Shawal region of South Waziristan. The forces also fired artillery shells from Manzai Fort, targeting positions in Spinkai Raghzai ...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Airfield in Wana, Miramshah upgraded
PESHAWAR, Jan 16: The British era airfield in South Waziristan's Wana town has been upgraded under a US-funded multi-million dollar programme which also envisages extension of runway and other facilities at the airport in Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan Agency.

Officials said that a military C-130 aircraft made a successful test landing at the expanded 1,500-meter strip of Wana airport on Dec 30, while construction work was still in progress there.With the upgradation of Wana and Miramshah airfields the Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) now has three airports, the third one in Parachinar, the headquarters of Kurram Agency.

The Parachinar airport was built in the mid-80s after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and was put into operation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for domestic flights in 1994.Pakistan International Airlines suspended domestic flights to Parachinar in January 2001 because of financial losses and the airport was abandoned.

A security analyst told Dawn that the upgradation of the airstrips would improve mobility of the armed forces in the tribal region and could be used for civil aviation in peace time.

"From the security point of view, landing facilities for cargo planes in the tribal region are necessary. Instead of sending troops into the region by road, they can be taken there from any base in a short time," he said.

Official sources said that work on the project in Wana and Miramshah was taken up in 2005.

An official said that the US administration had provided about $80 million for the expansion project.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-aviation/9227-airfield-wana-miramshah-upgraded.html

http://snipurl.com/1xokm
.

g

Taliban leader. Baitullah Mehsud photo