Map of Taliban control in Pakistan's northwest - The Long War Journal
Map of Taliban control in Pakistan's northwest - The Long War Journal
http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/maps/FullImageWrapperLatestFullImage.php
Taliban control: Districts/agencies where the Taliban operate a parallel political administration and effectively control the bulk of the regions. In these areas, the Taliban will often declare sharia law; run courts, recruiting centers, and tax offices; and maintain security forces. The police and military are nonexistent or are confined to barracks. The Taliban also host camps for al Qaeda and other jihadi groups in the region.
Contested control: Districts/agencies where the Taliban may still control regions but are actively being opposed by the civil administrations. The Taliban attacks and assassinations of religious, political, and tribal leaders are often the worst in these areas, as the terrorists seek to destroy the will of the people to resist.
Taliban influence: Districts/agencies where the Taliban are present but their activities are more subtle. The Taliban may run madrassas, or religious schools; conduct recruiting and fundraising; and host camps or Taliban units. Attacks are not as prevalent in these regions as they are in Taliban control or Contested control areas.
The Federally Administered Tribal Agencies
North Waziristan: The Taliban are in effective control of North Waziristan, and the military has announced it has no intentions of restoring a semblance of government control in the tribal agency. The Haqqani Network, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, and Saddiq Noor control North Waziristan, and run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. The military has recently cut deals with Bahadar and Noor so they remain neutral in its offensive against the Mehsud branch of the Taliban in South Waziristan. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups flourish in North Waziristan, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps.
South Waziristan: The tribal agency is split into two Taliban regions: the Mehsud tribal areas in the east, controlled by Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud; and the Wazir tribal areas in the west, controlled by Mullah Nazir. The Taliban run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups flourish in South Waziristan, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps. Whatever the outcome of the current military offensive against the Mehsud branch of the Taliban, Nazir will remain in control of the Wazir tribal areas, as the military cut a deal with him to keep out of the fight.
Kurram: The Taliban and allied anti-Shia jihadi groups control nearly all of Kurram, except for its main town Parachinar, which is under effective siege. Hakeemullah Mehsud commanded the Taliban in Kurram before taking overall control of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Kurram hosts training camps for al Qaeda as well as the Afghan Taliban.
Arakzai: The Taliban, under the command of Hakeemullah, declared sharia law in the eastern and western areas of Arakzai in December 2008. The Taliban still rule the region and use it to launch attacks into Kohat and greater Pakistan. The Taliban run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. Taliban groups such as the Abdullah Azzam Brigade, the Ghazi Force, and the Commander Tariq Afridi Group thrive in Arakzai. Hakeemullah Mehsud commanded the Taliban in Arakzai before taking overall control of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.
Khyber: The tribal agency is split among several Taliban groups: the Lashkar-e-Islam and its rival the Ansar-ul-Islam, and the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. The military has launched multiple offensives in Khyber with the goal of clearing the extremist groups from the region, keeping NATO’s supply line to Afghanistan open, and relieving pressure from the provincial capital of Peshawar. The latest offensive targeted the Lashkar-i-Islam, and the military claimed success. But the operation appears to have fizzled out and the military no longer briefs on operations in Khyber, while Peshawar remains under attack. These are sure signs that the Taliban groups are still in control.
Mohmand: A Taliban commander named Omar Khalid controls Mohmand. Khalid claims to have 5,000 fighters under his command. Khalid has imposed sharia on Mohmand and has battled security forces. The military claimed it ousted the Taliban from Mohmand in March 2009, but all indications are the Taliban still are in control.
Bajaur: Faqir Mohammed, the deputy commander of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, is in charge of the Taliban in Bajaur. The military claimed success after a brutal, seven-month-long operation to clear the Taliban in Bajaur, however the Taliban returned to several areas and still control significant regions such as Mamond. The military has re-launched operations and has attempted to work with local tribes to raise lashkars, or militias, to fight the Taliban. This has had limited success. The Taliban have kidnapped and assassinated tribal leaders willing to work with the government. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups are based in Bajaur, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps. Bajaur is the al Qaeda command and control hub for operations in northeastern Afghanistan.
The settled districts of the Northwest Frontier Province
Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Hangu, Kohat, Karak: The Taliban spillover from North and South Waziristan has affected these settled districts. In 2007, a secret government report described these districts as being out of the government’s control. The military has launched several operations to dislodge the Taliban in Bannu and Hangu, but has failed; the Taliban responded by killing any tribal leaders who cooperated with the government. The western regions in Bannu have served as the seat of al Qaeda’s Shura Majlis and the home to the bank of the Caliphate. The government has supported Taliban groups such as the Abdullah Mehsud Group against the Hakeemullah’s Taliban forces in Lakki Marwat, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan, effectively choosing one set of Taliban over another. Kohat is under frequent attack from the Taliban in Arakzai; the Indus Highway and the Freedom Tunnel have fallen under the control of the Taliban in the recent past.
Peshawar: The Taliban routinely conduct major terror strikes in Peshawar, and much of the area outside the city of Peshawar is under Taliban control or influence. The Taliban have preyed upon NATO convoys in container terminals just outside Peshawar from late last year up until the summer of this year. The city itself is described as being under siege.
Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Malakand: The Taliban routinely conduct terror attacks against political leaders, security officials, and rivals in these four districts. In 2007, a secret government report described these districts being as out of the government’s control, however security forces are able to put up some resistance to an overt Taliban takeover. Company-sized Taliban units moved into Mardan and Malakand during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner.
Swat: The military operation in Swat against Mullah Fazlullah’s Taliban has had a measure of success; six of the top 21 Taliban commanders have been killed or captured. Fazlullah’s followers ruled Swat for two years before the operation was launched this spring. The Taliban had training camps and permitted al Qaeda to use their territories in Swat. The government has been somewhat effective in helping organize lashkars to oppose the Taliban. The Taliban still carry out attacks.
Dir, Buner, Shangla : The Swat Taliban extended their reach into these districts over the past several years, prompting the military operation this spring that caused the displacement of nearly three million people. The Taliban have lost overt control but still conduct attacks and operations in the districts. The government is said to be in control of the two main towns in Dir and some other areas; the Taliban openly control a region in Shangla.
Battagram, Mansehra, Abbotabad, Haripur, Swabi: Company-sized Taliban units moved into these five districts during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner. After the Taliban takeover of Buner in April 2009, the Taliban conducted a road march/parade through Buner, Swabi, and Mardan, which ended in Malakand. Security forces did not act against the Taliban.
Chitral, Kohistan: Company-sized Taliban units moved into Chitral and Kohistan during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner. The Taliban use Chitral as a base for attacks against US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, and the main road in Kohistan was shut down due to Taliban attacks over the summer of 2009.
Areas in Punjab and Baluchistan
Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarth, Musakhel, Zhob:
The Taliban have conducted several attacks against security installations in the districts of Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan during the winter and spring of 2009, prompting the Punjab government to close the border with the Northwest Frontier Province. The Taliban have a known presence in Muzaffargarth, Musakhel, and Zhob. Zhob is a known safe haven for Taliban fighters operating in southeastern Afghanistan.
With the military on the offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan, Pakistani officials are hopeful that the Taliban will be decisively defeated if the forces of Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud can be destroyed and the government's writ can be restored in the Mehsud tribal areas. Government officials have described South Waziristan as the nexus of the Taliban's operations, with 80 percent of terrorist attacks in Pakistan planned and executed from that tribal agency.
But despite recent operations in the region, the Taliban are still in firm control of several tribal agencies and districts in the northwest, and in the rest of the region the Taliban have a strong presence or at least contest the government for control. Even if Hakeemullah's forces are defeated or forced to withdraw, the Taliban will still control half of South Waziristan; the military has cut a peace deal with Mullah Nazir, the South Waziristan Taliban leader who has had more senior al Qaeda and Taliban commanders killed in his tribal areas than any other leader.
The Taliban also have a strong presence in several districts in Baluchistan and Punjab provinces [the current map focuses on the Northwest Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and touches on several adjoining districts in Punjab and Baluchistan].
In addition to the Taliban, allied Pakistani jihadi groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Janghvi, Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, Harkat-ul Mujahideen, and a host of other terror groups operate unfettered in much of Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the Northern Areas, and also maintain bases in the northwest.
Read more: Map of Taliban control in Pakistan's northwest - The Long War Journal
http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/maps/FullImageWrapperLatestFullImage.php
Taliban control: Districts/agencies where the Taliban operate a parallel political administration and effectively control the bulk of the regions. In these areas, the Taliban will often declare sharia law; run courts, recruiting centers, and tax offices; and maintain security forces. The police and military are nonexistent or are confined to barracks. The Taliban also host camps for al Qaeda and other jihadi groups in the region.
Contested control: Districts/agencies where the Taliban may still control regions but are actively being opposed by the civil administrations. The Taliban attacks and assassinations of religious, political, and tribal leaders are often the worst in these areas, as the terrorists seek to destroy the will of the people to resist.
Taliban influence: Districts/agencies where the Taliban are present but their activities are more subtle. The Taliban may run madrassas, or religious schools; conduct recruiting and fundraising; and host camps or Taliban units. Attacks are not as prevalent in these regions as they are in Taliban control or Contested control areas.
The Federally Administered Tribal Agencies
North Waziristan: The Taliban are in effective control of North Waziristan, and the military has announced it has no intentions of restoring a semblance of government control in the tribal agency. The Haqqani Network, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, and Saddiq Noor control North Waziristan, and run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. The military has recently cut deals with Bahadar and Noor so they remain neutral in its offensive against the Mehsud branch of the Taliban in South Waziristan. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups flourish in North Waziristan, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps.
South Waziristan: The tribal agency is split into two Taliban regions: the Mehsud tribal areas in the east, controlled by Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud; and the Wazir tribal areas in the west, controlled by Mullah Nazir. The Taliban run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups flourish in South Waziristan, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps. Whatever the outcome of the current military offensive against the Mehsud branch of the Taliban, Nazir will remain in control of the Wazir tribal areas, as the military cut a deal with him to keep out of the fight.
Kurram: The Taliban and allied anti-Shia jihadi groups control nearly all of Kurram, except for its main town Parachinar, which is under effective siege. Hakeemullah Mehsud commanded the Taliban in Kurram before taking overall control of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Kurram hosts training camps for al Qaeda as well as the Afghan Taliban.
Arakzai: The Taliban, under the command of Hakeemullah, declared sharia law in the eastern and western areas of Arakzai in December 2008. The Taliban still rule the region and use it to launch attacks into Kohat and greater Pakistan. The Taliban run a parallel administration with courts, recruiting centers, tax offices, and security forces. Taliban groups such as the Abdullah Azzam Brigade, the Ghazi Force, and the Commander Tariq Afridi Group thrive in Arakzai. Hakeemullah Mehsud commanded the Taliban in Arakzai before taking overall control of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.
Khyber: The tribal agency is split among several Taliban groups: the Lashkar-e-Islam and its rival the Ansar-ul-Islam, and the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. The military has launched multiple offensives in Khyber with the goal of clearing the extremist groups from the region, keeping NATO’s supply line to Afghanistan open, and relieving pressure from the provincial capital of Peshawar. The latest offensive targeted the Lashkar-i-Islam, and the military claimed success. But the operation appears to have fizzled out and the military no longer briefs on operations in Khyber, while Peshawar remains under attack. These are sure signs that the Taliban groups are still in control.
Mohmand: A Taliban commander named Omar Khalid controls Mohmand. Khalid claims to have 5,000 fighters under his command. Khalid has imposed sharia on Mohmand and has battled security forces. The military claimed it ousted the Taliban from Mohmand in March 2009, but all indications are the Taliban still are in control.
Bajaur: Faqir Mohammed, the deputy commander of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, is in charge of the Taliban in Bajaur. The military claimed success after a brutal, seven-month-long operation to clear the Taliban in Bajaur, however the Taliban returned to several areas and still control significant regions such as Mamond. The military has re-launched operations and has attempted to work with local tribes to raise lashkars, or militias, to fight the Taliban. This has had limited success. The Taliban have kidnapped and assassinated tribal leaders willing to work with the government. Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban groups are based in Bajaur, and maintain bases, safe houses, and training camps. Bajaur is the al Qaeda command and control hub for operations in northeastern Afghanistan.
The settled districts of the Northwest Frontier Province
Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Hangu, Kohat, Karak: The Taliban spillover from North and South Waziristan has affected these settled districts. In 2007, a secret government report described these districts as being out of the government’s control. The military has launched several operations to dislodge the Taliban in Bannu and Hangu, but has failed; the Taliban responded by killing any tribal leaders who cooperated with the government. The western regions in Bannu have served as the seat of al Qaeda’s Shura Majlis and the home to the bank of the Caliphate. The government has supported Taliban groups such as the Abdullah Mehsud Group against the Hakeemullah’s Taliban forces in Lakki Marwat, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan, effectively choosing one set of Taliban over another. Kohat is under frequent attack from the Taliban in Arakzai; the Indus Highway and the Freedom Tunnel have fallen under the control of the Taliban in the recent past.
Peshawar: The Taliban routinely conduct major terror strikes in Peshawar, and much of the area outside the city of Peshawar is under Taliban control or influence. The Taliban have preyed upon NATO convoys in container terminals just outside Peshawar from late last year up until the summer of this year. The city itself is described as being under siege.
Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Malakand: The Taliban routinely conduct terror attacks against political leaders, security officials, and rivals in these four districts. In 2007, a secret government report described these districts being as out of the government’s control, however security forces are able to put up some resistance to an overt Taliban takeover. Company-sized Taliban units moved into Mardan and Malakand during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner.
Swat: The military operation in Swat against Mullah Fazlullah’s Taliban has had a measure of success; six of the top 21 Taliban commanders have been killed or captured. Fazlullah’s followers ruled Swat for two years before the operation was launched this spring. The Taliban had training camps and permitted al Qaeda to use their territories in Swat. The government has been somewhat effective in helping organize lashkars to oppose the Taliban. The Taliban still carry out attacks.
Dir, Buner, Shangla : The Swat Taliban extended their reach into these districts over the past several years, prompting the military operation this spring that caused the displacement of nearly three million people. The Taliban have lost overt control but still conduct attacks and operations in the districts. The government is said to be in control of the two main towns in Dir and some other areas; the Taliban openly control a region in Shangla.
Battagram, Mansehra, Abbotabad, Haripur, Swabi: Company-sized Taliban units moved into these five districts during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner. After the Taliban takeover of Buner in April 2009, the Taliban conducted a road march/parade through Buner, Swabi, and Mardan, which ended in Malakand. Security forces did not act against the Taliban.
Chitral, Kohistan: Company-sized Taliban units moved into Chitral and Kohistan during the military offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Dir, and Buner. The Taliban use Chitral as a base for attacks against US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, and the main road in Kohistan was shut down due to Taliban attacks over the summer of 2009.
Areas in Punjab and Baluchistan
Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarth, Musakhel, Zhob:
The Taliban have conducted several attacks against security installations in the districts of Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan during the winter and spring of 2009, prompting the Punjab government to close the border with the Northwest Frontier Province. The Taliban have a known presence in Muzaffargarth, Musakhel, and Zhob. Zhob is a known safe haven for Taliban fighters operating in southeastern Afghanistan.
With the military on the offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan, Pakistani officials are hopeful that the Taliban will be decisively defeated if the forces of Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud can be destroyed and the government's writ can be restored in the Mehsud tribal areas. Government officials have described South Waziristan as the nexus of the Taliban's operations, with 80 percent of terrorist attacks in Pakistan planned and executed from that tribal agency.
But despite recent operations in the region, the Taliban are still in firm control of several tribal agencies and districts in the northwest, and in the rest of the region the Taliban have a strong presence or at least contest the government for control. Even if Hakeemullah's forces are defeated or forced to withdraw, the Taliban will still control half of South Waziristan; the military has cut a peace deal with Mullah Nazir, the South Waziristan Taliban leader who has had more senior al Qaeda and Taliban commanders killed in his tribal areas than any other leader.
The Taliban also have a strong presence in several districts in Baluchistan and Punjab provinces [the current map focuses on the Northwest Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and touches on several adjoining districts in Punjab and Baluchistan].
In addition to the Taliban, allied Pakistani jihadi groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Janghvi, Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, Harkat-ul Mujahideen, and a host of other terror groups operate unfettered in much of Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the Northern Areas, and also maintain bases in the northwest.
Read more: Map of Taliban control in Pakistan's northwest - The Long War Journal
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