This is going to be ugly, well beyond this incident IMHO
Pakistan Troops Kill 50 Militants in Red Mosque Raid (Update2)
By Khalid Qayum and Khaleeq Ahmed
July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistani troops stormed Islamabad's Red Mosque to end a weeklong siege, killing at least 50 militants in an operation that was continuing with a room-by-room search for Islamists, an army spokesman said.
About 100 people fled the complex, including 27 children, Major General Waheed Arshad told reporters in the Pakistani capital. The operation, which began at about 3 a.m. local time, was proceeding slowly because women and children were still in the mosque, some of them hiding in a basement with the cleric leading the standoff, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, he said. Eight soldiers were killed, and 50 militants surrendered, the general said.
President Pervez Musharraf, meeting with officials to review the progress of the raid, expressed satisfaction and instructed the security forces to take ``utmost care'' to save women and children, Information Secretary Anwar Mahmood said in a phone interview. No militant will be allowed to escape, Musharraf said.
The dispute began in April when chief cleric Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Ghazi's brother, established a religious court at the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid, to try to bring Islamabad under Islamic law.
Today's raid started after 11 hours of talks between the government and Ghazi, the deputy cleric, failed. One negotiator said the two sides had reached a draft accord that was then rejected by Musharraf.
Pressure on Musharraf
The standoff has increased pressure on Musharraf, who was criticized by Islamic parties for backing the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism. Musharraf's ouster of the country's top judge in March sparked the most serious protests since he took power in a 1999 military coup. The president, who remains army chief, is seeking another five-year term as the country's leader.
The government had said as many as 300 militants, among them ``hardcore terrorists'' wanted in other countries, were inside the mosque and holding hundreds of religious students and their family members as hostages. The Islamists said those inside the complex, including children, were there voluntarily.
``There is a lot of resistance,'' with militants firing from minarets, Arshad said. ``We are taking a step-by-step approach so that there is no collateral damage, as our main concern is that women and children, held hostage, do not suffer.'' Security forces rescued 27 women and three children, the first departure of women from the 75-room complex since the siege began.
Ume Hassan, wife of chief cleric Aziz, and their daughter, Asma, were among the women rescued, Arshad said in a phone interview. ``There may be more women with Ghazi, who is still resisting,'' the general said.
Rocket Launchers
The militants took up positions in almost every room of the three-story complex, Arshad said. They are well trained and were using machineguns, hand grenades and rocket launchers, he said. The northern part of the complex was cleared of the militants, and fighting was going on in the southern part, he said.
At least 24 people were killed at the mosque during the week of gun battles between militants and security forces that started on July 3. The complex is about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Musharraf's office.
``We tried our best to prevent more bloodshed,'' Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said in a telephone interview after troops entered the mosque. ``We tried our best to convince Ghazi to release the women and children.''
Ghazi ``didn't show flexibility,'' Durrani said. ``He left the government with no choice but to start the operation.''
`Final Stages'
Ghazi rejected that version of events.
``The deal for my safe passage and surrender was in the final stages; the government didn't give me enough time,'' he told Aryone World TV in a telephone interview from the mosque as troops attacked. ``The government didn't want to end the standoff.''
A member of the delegation of Muslim religious scholars that negotiated with Ghazi on the government's behalf said the talks came close to an accord.
``A draft agreement between religious scholars and Ghazi last night to end the standoff was rejected by Pervez Musharraf,'' Hanif Jalandhri, one of the negotiators, said in a telephone interview. ``Instead, Musharraf sent a different agreement, which was not acceptable to Ghazi, and the talks ended in deadlock.''
The Pakistani president said July 7 the Islamist students barricaded in the mosque must ``surrender or die.''
`Continue Struggle'
Ghazi told Aryone World TV that the attacking troops were ``American agents'' and called on the militants to resist.
``We have 13 Kalashnikovs,'' he said. ``We don't have any other weapons. I urge the people to continue our struggle.''
Musharraf has said that Pakistan must follow a path of moderation. He has pledged to boost economic growth in the country of 165 million people, the world's second-largest Muslim nation after Indonesia, in an effort to reduce the threat of terrorism and extremism.
``Terrorists are organizing the siege at Islamabad's Red Mosque and are preventing Ghazi from surrendering,'' Religious Affairs Minister Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq said July 8. Haq was in the delegation that held talks with Ghazi earlier today.
``There are known terrorists who are wanted inside and outside the country. They have been involved in many terrorist activities,'' Haq said.
One gunman killed during the siege was wanted in connection with a failed assassination attempt on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when he was campaigning for Parliament in 2004, Haq said.
``It is too early to say that foreign militants are among those killed,'' Arshad said at today's news conference.
Chinese Deaths
Students at the mosque last month seized seven Chinese nationals, accusing them of operating a massage parlor and brothel in the area. Police negotiated their release a day later. China's government said the Chinese citizens ran a clinic.
``We have asked the Pakistani authorities to strengthen their protection of Chinese citizens living in Pakistan,'' Qin Gang, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a regular briefing in Beijing today, in comments prompted by the killing of three Chinese citizens in the Pakistani city of Peshawar two days ago. ``We have taken notice of Pakistan's raid on the mosque. We have confidence Pakistan has the ability to handle this well.''
To contact the reporters on this story: Khalid Qayum in Islamabad at kqayum@bloomberg.net ; Khaleeq Ahmed in Islamabad.
Last Updated: July 10, 2007 09:56 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJXarCWgeBgE&refer=home#
Pakistan Troops Kill 50 Militants in Red Mosque Raid (Update2)
By Khalid Qayum and Khaleeq Ahmed
July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistani troops stormed Islamabad's Red Mosque to end a weeklong siege, killing at least 50 militants in an operation that was continuing with a room-by-room search for Islamists, an army spokesman said.
About 100 people fled the complex, including 27 children, Major General Waheed Arshad told reporters in the Pakistani capital. The operation, which began at about 3 a.m. local time, was proceeding slowly because women and children were still in the mosque, some of them hiding in a basement with the cleric leading the standoff, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, he said. Eight soldiers were killed, and 50 militants surrendered, the general said.
President Pervez Musharraf, meeting with officials to review the progress of the raid, expressed satisfaction and instructed the security forces to take ``utmost care'' to save women and children, Information Secretary Anwar Mahmood said in a phone interview. No militant will be allowed to escape, Musharraf said.
The dispute began in April when chief cleric Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Ghazi's brother, established a religious court at the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid, to try to bring Islamabad under Islamic law.
Today's raid started after 11 hours of talks between the government and Ghazi, the deputy cleric, failed. One negotiator said the two sides had reached a draft accord that was then rejected by Musharraf.
Pressure on Musharraf
The standoff has increased pressure on Musharraf, who was criticized by Islamic parties for backing the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism. Musharraf's ouster of the country's top judge in March sparked the most serious protests since he took power in a 1999 military coup. The president, who remains army chief, is seeking another five-year term as the country's leader.
The government had said as many as 300 militants, among them ``hardcore terrorists'' wanted in other countries, were inside the mosque and holding hundreds of religious students and their family members as hostages. The Islamists said those inside the complex, including children, were there voluntarily.
``There is a lot of resistance,'' with militants firing from minarets, Arshad said. ``We are taking a step-by-step approach so that there is no collateral damage, as our main concern is that women and children, held hostage, do not suffer.'' Security forces rescued 27 women and three children, the first departure of women from the 75-room complex since the siege began.
Ume Hassan, wife of chief cleric Aziz, and their daughter, Asma, were among the women rescued, Arshad said in a phone interview. ``There may be more women with Ghazi, who is still resisting,'' the general said.
Rocket Launchers
The militants took up positions in almost every room of the three-story complex, Arshad said. They are well trained and were using machineguns, hand grenades and rocket launchers, he said. The northern part of the complex was cleared of the militants, and fighting was going on in the southern part, he said.
At least 24 people were killed at the mosque during the week of gun battles between militants and security forces that started on July 3. The complex is about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Musharraf's office.
``We tried our best to prevent more bloodshed,'' Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said in a telephone interview after troops entered the mosque. ``We tried our best to convince Ghazi to release the women and children.''
Ghazi ``didn't show flexibility,'' Durrani said. ``He left the government with no choice but to start the operation.''
`Final Stages'
Ghazi rejected that version of events.
``The deal for my safe passage and surrender was in the final stages; the government didn't give me enough time,'' he told Aryone World TV in a telephone interview from the mosque as troops attacked. ``The government didn't want to end the standoff.''
A member of the delegation of Muslim religious scholars that negotiated with Ghazi on the government's behalf said the talks came close to an accord.
``A draft agreement between religious scholars and Ghazi last night to end the standoff was rejected by Pervez Musharraf,'' Hanif Jalandhri, one of the negotiators, said in a telephone interview. ``Instead, Musharraf sent a different agreement, which was not acceptable to Ghazi, and the talks ended in deadlock.''
The Pakistani president said July 7 the Islamist students barricaded in the mosque must ``surrender or die.''
`Continue Struggle'
Ghazi told Aryone World TV that the attacking troops were ``American agents'' and called on the militants to resist.
``We have 13 Kalashnikovs,'' he said. ``We don't have any other weapons. I urge the people to continue our struggle.''
Musharraf has said that Pakistan must follow a path of moderation. He has pledged to boost economic growth in the country of 165 million people, the world's second-largest Muslim nation after Indonesia, in an effort to reduce the threat of terrorism and extremism.
``Terrorists are organizing the siege at Islamabad's Red Mosque and are preventing Ghazi from surrendering,'' Religious Affairs Minister Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq said July 8. Haq was in the delegation that held talks with Ghazi earlier today.
``There are known terrorists who are wanted inside and outside the country. They have been involved in many terrorist activities,'' Haq said.
One gunman killed during the siege was wanted in connection with a failed assassination attempt on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when he was campaigning for Parliament in 2004, Haq said.
``It is too early to say that foreign militants are among those killed,'' Arshad said at today's news conference.
Chinese Deaths
Students at the mosque last month seized seven Chinese nationals, accusing them of operating a massage parlor and brothel in the area. Police negotiated their release a day later. China's government said the Chinese citizens ran a clinic.
``We have asked the Pakistani authorities to strengthen their protection of Chinese citizens living in Pakistan,'' Qin Gang, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a regular briefing in Beijing today, in comments prompted by the killing of three Chinese citizens in the Pakistani city of Peshawar two days ago. ``We have taken notice of Pakistan's raid on the mosque. We have confidence Pakistan has the ability to handle this well.''
To contact the reporters on this story: Khalid Qayum in Islamabad at kqayum@bloomberg.net ; Khaleeq Ahmed in Islamabad.
Last Updated: July 10, 2007 09:56 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJXarCWgeBgE&refer=home#
