Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem
Encyclopedia
The Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (English
: Operation Righteous Path), was a Pakistan Army operation in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency
, Federally Administered Tribal Areas
. The operation was commenced on June 28, 2008, and was halted by the Army on July 9, 2008.
Yousaf Raza Gillani
's government
had ordered the Pakistan Army to launch an operation against the Taliban forces in the tribal district of Khyber Agency. According to the Prime minister, the operation was aimed at the Mangal Bagh, a Taliban commander, and was launched as last resort.
The 40th Infantry Division carried out aggressive military campaigns against Tehreek-e-Taliban Lashkar-e-Islam and its rival, Ansarul Islam. The troops were forwarded to Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency where LeI headquarters were located.
The immediate trigger for the operation was two incidents of kidnapping which occurred in Peshawar on the June 21, 2008. Militants abducted six women from the city's posh Hatband neighborhood on allegations of involvement in human trafficking, and a group of 16 Christians, including two priests, was abducted in broad daylight during a prayer meeting. The Christians were released following hurried negotiations between the government and Islamist groups in the region. Both kidnappings were perpetrated by the Islamist group Lashkar-e-Islam, which was the target of Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem in Khyber Agency.
During the weeks of fighting, the 40th Infantry Division had took control of a key town and demolished the LeI's military infrastructure. During the operation, 2 militants were reported to be killed while 1 soldier was also dead. The military had removed the elements of the LeI organization. Though, the military was failed to captured any major commander of the organization. It was later speculated that the top leadership of the LeI have been escaped to unknown location. Soon after the capture of Bara Tehsil, the operation was halted by the army in early July.
who elements were involved in kidnapping of Christian families based in Peshawar. The Pakistani media also reported that LeI's militants avoided to fight with the military and they had took refuge among the general population. The Jang News
also reported that the military had targeted nothing more than "empty buildings [used by] the banned organizations Lashkar-e-Islam, Ansarul Islam and Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi al-Munkar," and that "not one of the leaders or fighters [of these organizations] was captured.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Operation Righteous Path), was a Pakistan Army operation in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency
Khyber agency
Khyber is a tribal area in the FATA region of Pakistan. It is one of the eight tribal areas, better known as agencies in Pakistan. It ranges from the Tirah valley down to Peshawar...
, Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
. The operation was commenced on June 28, 2008, and was halted by the Army on July 9, 2008.
Khyber Operation
The Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (English: Operation Righteous Path) was launched by Pakistan Army's 40th Infantry Division. Prime ministerPrime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
's government
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
had ordered the Pakistan Army to launch an operation against the Taliban forces in the tribal district of Khyber Agency. According to the Prime minister, the operation was aimed at the Mangal Bagh, a Taliban commander, and was launched as last resort.
The 40th Infantry Division carried out aggressive military campaigns against Tehreek-e-Taliban Lashkar-e-Islam and its rival, Ansarul Islam. The troops were forwarded to Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency where LeI headquarters were located.
The immediate trigger for the operation was two incidents of kidnapping which occurred in Peshawar on the June 21, 2008. Militants abducted six women from the city's posh Hatband neighborhood on allegations of involvement in human trafficking, and a group of 16 Christians, including two priests, was abducted in broad daylight during a prayer meeting. The Christians were released following hurried negotiations between the government and Islamist groups in the region. Both kidnappings were perpetrated by the Islamist group Lashkar-e-Islam, which was the target of Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem in Khyber Agency.
During the weeks of fighting, the 40th Infantry Division had took control of a key town and demolished the LeI's military infrastructure. During the operation, 2 militants were reported to be killed while 1 soldier was also dead. The military had removed the elements of the LeI organization. Though, the military was failed to captured any major commander of the organization. It was later speculated that the top leadership of the LeI have been escaped to unknown location. Soon after the capture of Bara Tehsil, the operation was halted by the army in early July.
Aftermath
The questions were raised over the Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem. The Pakistani media had speculated that the aim of the operation was not Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The military had effectively avoided targeting the Taliban. The main target of the operation was Lashkar-e-IslamLashkar-e-Islam
Lashkar-e-Islam , literally Army of Islam also transliterated as Lashkar-e-Islami, Lashkar-i-Islam) is a militant organization active in and around Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan. LeI was founded in 2004 by Mufti Munir Shakir...
who elements were involved in kidnapping of Christian families based in Peshawar. The Pakistani media also reported that LeI's militants avoided to fight with the military and they had took refuge among the general population. The Jang News
Jang Group of Newspapers
Jang Group of Newspapers is a subsidiary of the Independent Media Corporation. It has its headquartered in Printing House, Karachi...
also reported that the military had targeted nothing more than "empty buildings [used by] the banned organizations Lashkar-e-Islam, Ansarul Islam and Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi al-Munkar," and that "not one of the leaders or fighters [of these organizations] was captured.