May 26, 2007
THE LETHAL SPRING OFFENSIVE...:
Hunt for 'traitors' splits Taliban: Spy mania grips the Afghan rebels as top commanders fall victim to tip-offs by informers to coalition troops (Jason Burke, May 27, 2007, The Observer)
Taliban insurgents fighting in Afghanistan and Pakistan have been hit by a wave of defections and betrayals that has resulted in a witch-hunt within the militant movement. [...]Posted by Orrin Judd at May 26, 2007 9:32 PM[T]wo of the Taliban's most senior commanders have now been killed after being betrayed by close associates. Up to a dozen middle-ranking commanders have died in airstrikes or other operations by Afghan, Nato or Pakistani forces based on precise details of their movements received from informers. Few details have been publicly released, but senior military sources speak of 'major hits' that they wish they could talk about openly.
The successes may be the result of the more sophisticated strategy now employed by coalition, Afghan and Pakistani forces, say observers.
'There have been desultory efforts over several years to penetrate the Taliban and to play off the various factions within the militancy and along the frontier against each other, but now that has become the keystone of the intelligence effort,' said one Pakistan-based source. 'That's paying off.'
Could there be competition (rivalry) among the various madrassa?
The new hunting strategy seems to be be paying off very well. Run them into the ground, and then shoot them from helicopters until everyone is dead. The next step is to start rolling up their cells in the cities (both in Afghanistan and Pakistan).
Posted by: ratbert at May 27, 2007 1:13 AM