Pakistani Tribes Take on Al Qaeda
Pakistani trives have had it with Al Qaeda: clashes have occured between tribal forces and Al Qaeda forces (mainly foreigners). So far, approximately 60 Al Qaeda terrorists have been killed, while the tribes took some 40 foreign ‘militants’ captive.
The tribes have broken their alliance with Al Qaeda and are (finally) doing what Musharraf was supposed to do.
How it all started:
An intelligence official in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, said about 40 Uzbeks had been killed in the fighting in which the tribesmen attacked and captured a militant stronghold in a village near Wana.
Thousands of foreign militants fled to the semi-autonomous tribal lands on the Pakistani side of the border after U.S.-led forces defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.
The militants were given refuge by most of the Pashtun tribes that straddle the border.
But relations between the foreigners and at least some of the tribesmen broke down last month when fighting erupted after the militants tried to kill a pro-government tribal leader.
One might think that, once the tribes started attacking the Al Qaeda forces, the Pakistani army would support the tribes. Not so: “The Pakistani military says it has not been involved in the fighting.”
A note of caution: tribes are loyal to tribes. Loyalties can switch at a moment’s notice.
This time, I hope my caution will turn out to be unnecessary.
Doma: very true. As I understand it, they can break alliances at any given moment (and frequently do so).