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Mullah Qari Fazlullah: captured? |
The Telegraph is reporting that Swat Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah has been captured and the surrender of his forces has been announced:
The Taliban has announced its surrender in Swat Valley, one of its major strongholds until a Pakistan Army offensive regained control earlier this summer.
Its announcement, made on one of its pirate radio stations, came as its charismatic leader Maulana Fazlullah was reported to be surrounded by Pakistani troops, and there were claims that he had in fact already been arrested.
According to the Telegraph, Pakistani intelligence sources said his capture would be announced early next week.
There are no reports of Fazlullah’s capture in the Pakistani press. His capture would certainly be frontpage news. The closest thing available at the moment is this report from Dawn published yesterday, which said Fazlullah was surrounded.
There have been plenty of false reports of Fazlullah’s death and capture over the past several months. But the arrests of his spokesman/military commander Muslim Khan, military commander Mahmood Khan, and three other shura members earlier this week indicate that the Pakistani military may be closing in on Fazlullah.
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5 Comments
The linked article from Dawn no longer contains a reference to Fazlullah. However, other articles in Sunday’s papers are now openly speculating about his impending arrest.
The News: Noose tightens around Fazlullah
Saw this late last night in the Daily Times.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\09\13\story_13-9-2009_pg7_10
The problem is that Pakistan shows strenght where the opposition is somewhat weak or only little dangerous for themselves.
But where a show of strenght would be neccessary they seem to be reluctanct…
As in give us Osama Bil Laden, Zawahiri, and Mullah Omar now.
OBL would be a big blow to their movement. We asked for him originally and he is the “flag” they are defending at all cost.
Capture their flag and their cause will be severely hampered if not destroyed.
Just go to the hotel in Quetta and get him for us please. He is probably out at the pool with some babes in burkas. He knows drones won’t fire where there are lots of people around.
Fazlullah will probably pop-up (or pop-down) while pres-Z is in the US in the next few days.
The one thing that makes the pak gov and army to work together is not the enemy, but US AID (read CASH). Sharing the booty, in other words.
Oh and Mr T and you may well be right about OBL and he probably hangs out in blue jeans and has removed all his excess hair, which may be why he doesn’t do videos anymore.