Pakistani tribesmen rise up against militants

updated 3:15 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani tribesmen are raising armies to battle al-Qaida and Taliban militants close to the Afghan border — a movement encouraged by the military and hailed as a sign its offensive there is succeeding.

The often ramshackle forces lend force to the campaign in the lawless and mountainous northwest region, but analysts question their effectiveness against a well-armed, well-trained and increasingly brutal insurgency.

The extremists are increasingly targeting the tribal militias, an indication they believe the private armies to be a threat.

On Sunday, two tribesmen were killed during an army-backed offensive against insurgents in the Bajur tribal region. Government official Jamil Khan said helicopter gunships shelled militants' bunkers, killing at least 10 people. Fifteen more suspected militants were killed in separate clashes, he said.

On Friday, a suicide bomber killed more than 50 tribesmen gathering to form an army. Eight pro-government tribesmen have been beheaded in recent days.

Government exploiting local resentment
By encouraging the private armies, or "lashkars," the government is exploiting local resentment against foreign and Pakistani extremists in the area, considered a likely hiding place for Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders.

"These Taliban call themselves Muslims, but they have been involved in all kinds of crimes," said Malik Mohmmand Habib, a leader of the Salarzai tribe, one of the largest of at least five tribes who have formed lashkars in recent weeks. "We want them out of our area."

Habib claims there are up to 15,000 men in his lashkar. Similar figures have been given by other leaders of private armies but those claims could not be independently verified. Analysts caution tribesmen are likely exaggerating, perhaps by as much as 50 percent.

The lashkars have drawn comparisons with government-backed militia in Iraq — the so-called awakening councils — that have been credited with beating back the insurgency there.

But the lashkars are less organized and the tribesmen use their own, often aging, weapons. The government does not admit to funding the armies, but analysts suspect the leaders at least receive money.

It is also unclear how much front-line fighting the lashkars are involved in. They have been photographed on patrol with military units and reportedly have been involved in several clashes, but their main task appears to be holding areas the army has cleared of insurgents.

Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas praised the formation of the private armies, but gave few details of how they operate.

MORE FROM SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA

South & Central Asia Section Front

U.S. faces hard reality with Pakistan   Did ‘Jihadi cool’ lure students to Pakistan? Going outside the military box in Afghan war FBI walks tightrope in outreach to Muslims Old names reappear in new Afghan cabinet Mumbai gunman recants confession, alleges torture Pakistan bars minister’s trip after ruling Top U.S. officer visits Afghan front lines NYT: U.S. aide accused of plot to oust Karzai South & Central Asia Section Front   Add South & Central Asia headlines to your news reader: