1. SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings January 31, 2011
Assessment: India
The Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Neyaz Ahmed, on January 13, 2011, stated that the
Police had decided to change its strategy to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE), with more action
focused on inter-State borders: "We expect more success in 2011 and we will change the strategy
slightly, like moving Security Forces to new places and launching operations on border areas, and
having more cooperation with Bihar, Odisha and Bengal." Earlier, on January 11, the former Bihar
Director General of Police, Devki Nandan Gautam, was appointed security advisor to the Jharkhand
Government, to advise the State Government on strategy to tackle Communist Party of India-Maoist
(CPI-Maoist), and on matters of general law and order. Following quickly thereafter, nine CPI-Maoist
cadres, including ‘sub-zonal commander’ Basant Yadav, were killed in an encounter with the Security
Forces (SFs) in the Luhur Forest in Latehar District in the early hours of January 28, 2011. Apart from
the June 13, 2010, encounter in which the SFs had managed to kill 10 Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) in
a single day, near Bandgaon in West Singhbhum District, there had been no single incident through
2010 in which three or more extremists were killed. [The SFs, however, killed 13 LWEs in the Saranda
forest of West Singhbhum District in an operation between September 25 and 27, 2010.] In 2009,
there had been five incidents in which three or more Maoists were killed.
The SFs’ engagement with the LWEs had clearly weakened as a result of the manifest infirmity of the
State’s policy. On January 2, 2010, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and then-Chief Minister
Shibu Soren had declared, "If they keep quiet, we too won’t harass them unnecessarily. Anti-Naxalite
[Left Wing Extremist] operations in the State have virtually been suspended. Our Government is ready
for talks with top ultra leaders at any time and accept their justified demands." Only six Maoists were
killed in first five months of 2010, under Soren’s leadership. The State has witnessed a change of
political fortunes twice since then. Soren lost his majority in the State Assembly and had to resign. The
State was put under President Rule on June 1, 2010. On September 11, 2010, however, the Arjun
Munda-led Bharatiya Janta Party-JMM alliance Government was formed. The State’s orientation
towards the Maoists, however, did not change significantly through these political realignments.
According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database, 76 rebels were killed in 2009, but the
number declined considerably, to 49 in 2010. Similarly, while 67 were SF personnel were killed in
2009, SF fatalities fell to 27 in 2010, clearly demonstrating an unwillingness on the part of the state to
engage with the extremists. The number of civilians killed by the Maoists remained almost unchanged,
at 71 in 2010, as against 74 in 2009. The State was clearly attempting to buy ‘peace’ with the Maoists
at the cost of civilian’s suffering.
Fatalities in Left-Wing Extremism: 2005-2010
Civilians SFs LWE Total
2005 49 27 20 96
2006 18 47 29 94
2007 69 6 45 120
2008 74 39 50 163
2009 74 67 76 217
2010 71 27 49 147
296 incidents of Maoist violence were recorded in the State through 2010, of which 84 were incidents
of killing. 40 incidents involved arson and the blowing up of private and Government properties. Other
crimes included lesser acts of violence, abduction, extortion and widespread intimidation. Telephone
intercepts in September 2010 established that the CPI-Maoist formed a company of 100-odd armed

2. cadres who moved in a single group, carrying sophisticated weapons and explosives, to target SF
personnel scouring Saranda Forest in the West Singhbhum District. The intercepts indicated that the
Maoists had designated Tirulposi in Manoharpur, West Singhbhum, about 50 kilometres from Rourkela
in Odisha, as a ‘headquarters’, where cadres from Odisha and Bihar would gather regularly to chalk
out strategy. The Naxalites continued to make their presence felt in 20 out of Jharkhand’s 24 Districts.
The worst affected among these included Ranchi (44), East Singhbhum (34), Latehar (29), Khunti
(23), Bokaro (22), Gumla (21) and West Singhbhum (20). In 2009, the Latehar District had registered
the highest number of incidents (43), followed by Ranchi (40), Palamu (31), Chatra (30) and East
Singhbhum (27). 23 Districts were listed as LWE-affected in 2009.
Significantly, at least 10 LWE factions operate within Jharkhand. While the People’s Liberation Front of
India (PLFI) was involved in 15 incidents of violence, the Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) was
involved in 11, and the Jharkhand Prastuti Committee (JPC) in four incidents through 2010. Some of
these splinter groups have managed to build wide influence, eroding the CPI-Maoist’s base, as was
evident in the fact that the JPC celebrated Republic Day (January 26, 2011) in the Adga village of the
Katkumsandi forest, which had been dominated by the Maoists for decades. After hoisting the
tricolour, JPC cadres displayed a large number of arms in their possession to prove that they were
strong enough to fight against both the Maoists and the SFs. The internal frictions of these various
LWE outfits, most of which have split from the CPI-Maoist, are an obvious concern for the Maoist
leadership. Paramjeet, spokesman for the Maoists' Central Zonal Committee, thus declared, on
January 28, 2011, "We want factions like Jharkhand Liberation Tigers [JLT], TPC, JPC and PLFI to
understand the politics being played by State Forces... The Security Forces use these groups to
weaken our organisation and then kill them calling them Maoists. Incidents reflecting the internecine
conflicts among the LWEs through 2010 prominently included:
• December 27: A Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad (JJP, a CPI-Maoist splinter) cadre, was killed in
a gun battle with the Bharatiya Communist Party (BCP, another Maoist splinter) in Palamu
District.
• October 17: Maoists killed a youth, identified as Puna Khadia, a resident of Chhapartoli under
Murkunda panchayat (village level local self Government institution) in Gumla District. Claiming
responsibility for killing, CPI-Maoist ‘area commander’ Jogi Bhagat alleged that Khadia was
killed as he was the ‘right hand’ man of Patrick Toppo, who heads the PLFI, and engaged in
extortion and road robbery activities in the area.
• October 8: Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were killed by CPI-
Maoist cadres in an internecine clash at Hessadih in Khunti District.
• July 7: Four LWEs were killed in a gun battle between cadres of the TPC and a newly formed
extremist group headed by Pramod Yadav in the vicinity of a forest in Rabda in the Palamu
District of Jharkhand. Pramod Yadav was formerly associated with the TPC, before setting up
his own faction.
• The internal rivalries are also affecting the Maoists’ recruitment drive, particularly with the TPC
and JPC trying to contain Maoist activities in Palamu.
State Police Data indicates that 569 Maoists, including 47 Maoists above the rank of ‘area
commander’, were arrested across the State through 2010. Significantly, the prosecution of 64 LWEs
on various charges has resulted in their conviction in 2009-10.
The SFs have also recorded significant recoveries of arms and ammunition, and have neutralized
several LWE hideouts. In a major breakthrough, the SFs raided a well-equipped chemical laboratory
run by the CPI-Maoist in the Chandrapur Industrial Area in Bokaro District on December 21, 2010,
recovering three kilograms of RDX and 10 kilograms of other chemicals, including two litres each of
sulphuric acid and acetone, one kilogram of nitric acid and five kilograms of sulphur powder. 14
wireless sets made in China and some other materials, including Maoist literature, were also seized
from the lab. Given the political environment and the abysmal condition of State Forces, the very
limited achievements of the SFs are, nevertheless, significant. An audit report released in Ranchi on

3. August 20, 2010, by the State's Principal Accountant General, described the appalling conditions of
the Police in five LWE-affected Districts – Palamu, Ranchi, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and
Hazaribagh. According to the report, these Districts have shortfalls of main strike weapons ranging
between 29 and 64 per cent. While Ranchi, one of the Districts worst hit by CPI-Maoist activities, has
shortfall of 64 per cent, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum have shortfalls of 42 and 47 per cent
respectively. In Ranchi, the total requirement was 4,895, while the number of main strike weapons and
area weapons available was just 1,773. Similarly, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum Districts had
shortfalls of 969 and 1,016 weapons, 42 and 47 per cent, respectively, below the requirement. Palamu
and Hazaribagh had weapons’ shortfalls of 29 and 45 per cent, respectively. "Though two units of
Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) – JAP One and JAP Five – were found to be over armed by 77 and 81
per cent, respectively; the newly formed and centrally-funded India Reserve Battalion (IRB-2), one of
the main combat forces of the State Police, was found to be under-armed to the extent of 49 per cent,"
the audit report noted. IRB-2 had a shortfall of 463 weapons. Only 12 per cent of Police personnel
deployed in these LWE-hit Districts had bullet-proof jackets and bullet proof helmets. DGP Ahmad
recognizes the shortfalls, but claims, "Efforts are underway to purchase more strike weapons and
bullet proof jackets for the State's constabulary. We have already placed orders for supply of such
gadgets under the Police modernization programme. The State Government has also announced
several measures intended to meet the challenge. The three Districts worst affected by LWE, Latehar,
Garhwa and Palamu, have been asked to recruit 850 Police personnel. On January 12, the State
Government approved 73 posts for four proposed jungle warfare schools, which will provide training to
Police personnel to combat the Maoists in the State. Two schools are to be established in Latehar, and
one each in Jamshedpur and Hazaribagh. In addition, the Jharkhand Police introduced 3D mapping
technologies to take to plot out Maoist activities in the State. Central Reserve Police Force Additional
Superintendent of Police for anti-Maoist operations, Apoorva, disclosed, on January 16, 2011, "The 3D
mapping is helping us in getting familiar with the terrain, forests, hills and other places. It helps the
Security Forces involved in anti-Maoist operations." Police personnel working in Maoist-affected areas
have, however, been asked to sharpen their personal observation instincts, rather than relying
completely on the modern gadgetry, to detect and neutralize landmines.
On July 31, 2010, the State Government had announced a surrender policy. Under President’s Rule at
that time, the Government announced the scheme, Nai Disha (New Direction), according to which
extremists who surrendered with rocket launchers or machine guns would receive INR 100,000, and
those who surrendered with an AK-series rifle would get INR 75,000. Similarly, between INR 15,000
and INR 2,000 would be paid for IED or explosive materials, wireless sets, remote control devices,
grenades, pistols, revolvers and rifles. Surrendered Maoists would be provided security and their
families would be relocated to a safe place, while employment could also be provided. Talking about
the scheme, the DGP Ahmed, on January 13, 2011, claimed that some LWEs had evinced interest in
laying down arms. He, however, did not divulge the number of extremists who had already
surrendered since the launch of the scheme. SATP records a meagre 20 surrenders since January 1,
2010. While limited schemes for capacity augmentation in the Police have been announced, there is
little evidence of a coherent strategy to tackle the Maoists in Jharkhand, even as the wider
environment in and around the State has become more vulnerable to extremist mobilisation over the
past years. In the absence of an extraordinary mobilisation of will and resources, there is little hope
that any enduring gains will be registered against the Naxalites in Jharkhand in the proximate future.
In contrast to the almost continuous diminution in trends in militant violence since 2003, Meghalaya
registered a spike in 2010, with 20 fatalities, including three civilians and 17 militants. There were just
five fatalities in 2009, including one civilian and four militants. For two consecutive years the state
recorded no Security Forces (SFs) casualty.
Militancy-related Fatalities in Meghalaya: 2001-10
Incidents Civilians SFs Militants Total
2001 70 29 15 07 51

4. 2002 84 28 14 24 66
2003 85 35 07 37 79
2004 47 17 08 22 47
2005 37 01 00 23 24
2006 38 06 00 20 26
2007 28 09 01 14 24
2008 79 00 01 11 12
2009 50 1 0 4 5
2010 73 3 0 17 20
Source: Data 2001-2007: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India
Data 2008-2010. Militancy related incidents were reported from six of Meghalaya's seven Districts in
2010. While the East Khasi Hills District was worst affected, with 24 recorded incidents, East Garo
Hills reported 23; West Garo Hills, 10; Jaintia Hills, six; West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills, five
incidents each. Ri-Bhoi District did not record any militancy-related incident. Militants suffered major
loses in the State, though the militancy related incidents increased to 73 in 2010 from 50 in 2009. On
December 10, 2010, four militants of the breakaway faction of the Garo National Liberation Army
(GNLA), including its leader, Jokin Momin, were killed during an encounter with Police in East Garo
Hills District. The breakaway faction was yet to give itself a name. Further, the ‘Chief’ of the Garo hills-
based Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), Nikseng G. Momin, was killed on December 2, 2010,
along with another cadre, in an encounter with the Police at Darugre Reserve Forest in the same
District. Of the 17 militants killed in the State in 2010, LAEF accounted for six; GNLA, two; the
breakaway faction of GNLA, four; the Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), three;
and the Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF), two.
The SFs also made some key arrests. Shembhalang Dkhar and Roy Kupar Marbaniang, the
'commander-in-chief' and 'chairman', respectively, of the newly formed HLF, were arrested from their
respective residences at Demthring and Madanriting localities in capital Shillong on January 13, 2010.
Joplin Pohtam alias Jop, a 'sergeant major' of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC)
and a key aide to the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Bobby Marwein, was arrested by the Border
Security Force (BSF) near Umngot River in Dawki of East Khasi Hills District on July 18, 2010 GNLA
‘finance secretaries’, Solte Marak and Martin, were arrested by the SFs from Williamnagar, East Garo
Hills District, on May 15, 2010. Earlier on the same day, the ‘general secretary’ of the outfit,
Novembirth Ch. Marak, was also arrested from New Jalpaiguri railway station in West Bengal. Months
later, the alleged "chief recruiting agent" of the GNLA, Dikseng M. Sangma and two of his close aides,
Wallen Ch. Marak and Stingson Ch. Marak, were arrested from the East Garo Hills District on October
23, 2010. A total of 71 militants were arrested in the State through 2010, including 18 from HNLC; 12
from GNLA; five from the Assam-based National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB); four from
ULFA: four from HLF; three from Hmar People's Convention – Democracy (HPC-D); three from the
People’s Liberation Army (PLA); three from Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP); and one each from
the Nagaland-based National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) and the, Kanglei
Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL). The affiliation of 17 arrested militants was unspecified.
The pressure maintained by the SFs also resulted in some surrenders. The LAEF ‘chairman’, Dimrim
N. Sangma alias Ramen, surrendered at Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills District along with four
cadres, on December 16, 2010. GNLA accounted for five surrenders; LAEF, 4; NDFB, 3; HNLC, 2;
ULFA, 2; and HLF, 1. The HNLC, the principal militant grouping in earlier years, with its strength
considerably reduced due to rapid attrition, kept activities at a low level, barring some reports of
extortion in the coal belt areas, especially in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Significantly, HNLC ‘area

5. commander’ Alex Hahshah, who has been active in the coal belt for the past five years and was
instrumental in recruitment in that area, was arrested along with eight new recruits from a house at
Parmowda village in the West Khasi Hills District on January 27, 2010. The group’s capacities have
been so reduced that is was said to be borrowing arms from other groups, and returning these after
after doing the "job" (extortion) with the "instrument". This was revealed after the arrest an HNLC
cadre, identified as Aibor alias Saddam Hussein, from Pynthorsale village in Jaintia Hills District on
August 29, 2010. However, some top HNLC leaders, including "chairman" Cheristerfield Thangkhiew,
are still believed to be operating from Bangladesh. The Ministry of Home Affairs, on December 16,
2010, extended its ban on the HNLC.
Another prominent militant group, the ANVC, which claims to represent the Garo tribe, has entered
into a process of talks with the Union Government, and the ceasefire between the ANVC and the
Union Government was extended without any time frame on September 30, 2010.
The vacuum left by major outfits has, however, been filled by a number of smaller groups. The newly
formed Garo faction, GNLA, has been the most active in killing, abduction, extortion, bomb blasts and
attacks on SFs. The outfit was floated by a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, Meghalaya,
Pakchara R. Sangma alias Champion R. Sangma, after deserting the Police force. Sangma had gone
"missing" for several months until it was discovered, in March 2010, that he was leading the GNLA. He
issued a press statement ‘confirming’ his position as the "chairman" of the GNLA. Media reports
suggest that Sohan D. Shira, former ANVC ‘area Commander’ for the East Garo Hills, was the
‘Commander-in-Chief’ of the GNLA. The cadre base of the outfit is mainly formed by deserters from
ANVC, LAEF and NDFB. The outfit is believed to be behind the killing of two non-local coal miners in
South Garo Hills on November 17, 2010, and a bomb blast in Tura on October 9, 2010, in which nine
persons were injured. GNLA is also engaged in extortion from coal-traders, petrol tank owners and
local businessmen. There are several instances persons working under the Union Government's
flagship programme, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), in the East and
South Garo Hills Districts, cuting short their work to leave the area due to fear of the GNLA militants.
The Government initially dismissed the GNLA as a "bunch of criminals", but on December 12, 2010,
invited the group for talks to "facilitate their surrender". Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s offer, however,
did not evoke any response from the outfit. Another new militant formation, Hynniewtrep Tiger
National Front (HTNF), was formed on May 19, 2010. The new group’s ‘chairman’ Nathan Kshiar, in a
statement to the Press, claimed that the HTNF’s main objective was to "safeguard and protect the
interests of the Khasi and Jaintia people." However, the SFs quickly arrested key leaders of the outfit
from Shillong on May 23, 2010, including the ‘chairman’, Nathan Kshiar, ‘commander-in-chief’ Khraw
alias Kitbok Kyndiah, and ‘publicity secretary’ Jonas alias Vincent Kharir. Meghalaya has also been
witnessing the overflow of militancy from neighbouring States. Myanmarese rebels and arms’ dealers
have made Shillong their "rendezvous point" for weapons’ transactions with Northeast militants. A
central intelligence agency recently alerted the Meghalaya Police regarding a former 'captain' of the
Myanmar-based Chin National Army (CNA), Tialkulhtang, smuggling in arms and ammunition from
Mandalay in Myanmar. BSF Inspector General R.C. Saxena confirmed that some "elements of CNA"
were hiding in Shillong.
Assam-based ULFA also has hideouts in the State and, on March 14, 2010, its cadres shot dead a 65-
year-old person, Tomen N. Marak, at his residence at Rongrong Apal village under the Resubelpara
sub-division in East Garo Hills District. Groups such as ULFA and NDFB in Assam are known to have
used the Garo Hills to travel between Assam and their base areas in Bangladesh. There are also
credible reports about GNLA links with the Nagaland-based NSCN-IM and ULFA. Former Meghalaya
Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, on February 7, 2010, stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, NSCN-IM,
NDFB and United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) were not only supporting groups like LAEF,
but also providing them arms, ammunition and training. Militant groups in the State also fuel conflict
among different tribes. The clashes between Rabhas and Garos along the Assam-Meghalaya border,
which ensued on New Year’s Day in 2011, left at least 10 persons dead and some 50,000 displaced
from the East Garo Hills District of Meghalaya and the Goalpara District of Assam. A visiting officialof

6. the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh, on January 10, 2011, stated that the clashes
appeared "well-planned" and did not rule out the hand of "underground groups. Meghalaya has
recorded significant gains against militant violence over the past years. However, new groups are
constantly being created within the vacuum left behind by older formations, and the environment of
political uncertainty – the State has witnessed a leadership change on eight occasions over the past
five years – creates wide spaces for continuous militant mobilisation. Much of this is now devoid even
of a fig-leaf of ideology, and its principal motivations appears to be extortion. Nevertheless, the harm
these groups are doing to Meghalaya and its people will persist, unless a regime of some political
stability and administrative efficiency is established across the State.
News Briefs:
Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia January 17-23, 2011
Security Force
Civilians Terrorists/Insurgents Total
Personnel
BANGLADESH
Left-wing 0 0 1 1
Extremism
INDIA
Assam 1 0 0 1
Meghalaya 0 0 1 1
Left-wing
Extremism
Bihar 1 0 0 1
Chhattisgarh 0 1 0 1
Jharkhand 0 0 9 9
Odisha 1 0 0 1
West Bengal 2 0 0 2
Total (INDIA) 5 1 10 16
PAKISTAN
Balochistan 4 0 0 4
FATA 14 1 118 133
Khyber 4 1 2 5
Pakhtunkhwa
Punjab 10 0 1 11
Sindh 1 3 0 4
Total (PAKISTAN) 33 5 119 157
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.

7. BANGLADESH
• HuJI-B used grenades sent by LeT to carry out terror attacks in 2004-2005, says
investigation report: An investigation report revealed that most of the 32 Arges grenades sent
to Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami-Bangladesh (HuJI-B) by Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-
Toiba (LeT) were used in at least seven major terror attacks in 2004-05. Of the attacks, six
targeted the leaders of the then opposition Awami League (AL), and the other was on the
British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury. In carrying out the blasts, HuJI-B had been
aided by a powerful quarter, some of who were in State power. Investigators unearthed these
while trying to get to the source of the grenade used in the killing of AL leader and former
Finance Minister S.A.M.S Kibria. The Daily Star, January 28, 2011.
INDIA
• ISI sent Hawala money for stone-pelters in J&K via Delhi, reveals interrogation: The
three hawala (illegal money transfer) conduits, including Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, a close
associate of the All Party Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G) chairman Syed Ali Shah
Geelani, who were arrested on January 23 by Srinagar Police and Delhi Police's special cell
from Srinagar along with INR 21 lakh made a revelation that this money was being sent to
Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) via Delhi by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI),
Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, for stone-pelters, to deliberately create unrest in the
valley. The money is being routed to J&K from Pakistan through a Delhi-based hawala dealer,
who is yet to be arrested. Times of India, January 28, 2011.
• No question of troop cut in Jammu and Kashmir, asserts Army Chief V K Singh: Army
Chief General V K Singh describing the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir
said though the scenario has improved, there was no question of withdrawing Army troops
from there. "The day the 42 terror camps on the other side are wound up and Pakistan stops
its proxy war that would be the time to withdraw. At the moment, we don’t think there is a need
for troop reductions," the Army chief said in an interview with Headlines Today. Daily
Excelsior, January 28, 2011.
• No arms recovered from CPI-M camps in West Bengal, says CRPF official: The Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on January 29 said it has not been able to recover any arms
from the camps allegedly run by the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in
Lalgarh in West Midnapore District and its adjoining Districts. Inspector General T. B. Rao said,
"… The raids were being conducted for a week or so but so far there has not been any positive
result," Rao said, adding that by "positive result", he meant that no weapons have been
recovered from the camps. The Hindu, January 22, 2011.
• Government offers 29-point proposal to NSCN-IM: The Union Home Ministry offered a 29-
point proposal to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), said the
outfit’s ‘Minister for Religious affairs’ P. Mor on January 24. The proposal included financial
sops, facilities and accommodating the "Kilonsers" (Ministers) of the NSCN-IM as members of
parliament and the "Tatars" (members) as ministers in the State. Nagaland Post, January 27,
2011.
• ‘Commander-in-Chief’ Paresh Baruah’s video clip creates confusion over peace talks,
claims ULFA ‘secretary’ Jiten Dutta: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) ‘secretary’
Jiten Dutta said on January 28 that at a time when the ULFA’s Central Committee is making an
effort to hold talks with the Union Government, videos released by ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Baruah on January 21 created confusion over peace talks. Dutta said, "They are trying
to pressurize the executive committee of ULFA who are in Nalbari District (where the executive

8. council meeting is going on). Paresh Barua’s threatening will not affect anyone from taking a
decision in favour of the public of Assam." Nagaland Post, January 29, 2011.
NEPAL
• PLA gets a final shape of monitoring mechanism: After the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
was handed over to the Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of
Maoist combatants), the Supreme Court (SC) gave final shape to its monitoring mechanism. A
meeting of SC named members of the monitoring mechanism that comprises four
representatives each from SC and its Secretariat and one from PLA combatants. Barsha Man
Pun of the Unified Communist party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M), Ram Sharan Mahat of Nepali
Congress (NC), Ishwor Pokharel of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-
UML) and Jitendra Dev of Madheshi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic (MJF-D) will represent SC
in the nine-member monitoring mechanism. Balananda Sharma of NC, Chandra Prakash
Khanal of UCPN-M, Gopal Singh Bohara of CPN-UML and Mahesh B Karki of the Nepali Army
will join the mechanism from the Secretariat. In addition, PLA ‘commander’ Nanda Kishor Pun
will represent the UCPN-M. Himalayan Times, January 25, 2011.
• Parliamentary Panel approves changes to end deadlock over PM election: A top
Parliamentary Panel in Nepal on January 25 approved key changes in the rules for electing a
Prime Minister (PM) that would make it mandatory to vote for a new leader in the House. The
five-member parliamentary committee headed by Ek Raj Bhandari recommended making it
mandatory to vote in a multi-cornered Prime Ministerial poll in the House. Times of India,
January 26, 2011.
PAKISTAN
• 118 militants and 12 civilians among 133 persons killed during the week in FATA: At least
46 terrorists were killed by the Security Forces (SFs) in separate incidents in Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on January 30. 20 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
militants and six Turi Bangash tribesmen were killed and two TTP militants were injured in
Kurram Agency. In addition, the SFs backed by gunship helicopters and artillery, pounded
terrorists’ suspected positions in Pandiali, Safi, Banizai and Ambar tehsils (revenue units) of
Mohmand Agency and killed 16 terrorists. Separately, the SFs killed 10 TTP terrorists in
Orakzai Agency.
• Security Forces (SFs), in an air strike, killed nine militants belonging to the TTP on January 29
in Saafi tehsil (revenue unit) of Mohmand Agency FATA, near Afghan border.
• SFs bombed terrorist hideouts in a tribal region near the Afghan border on January 28, killing
28 terrorists. In addition, five terrorists, including a ‘commander’, were killed by SFs in different
areas of Mohmand.
• At least 11 terrorists, including one suicide bomber, were killed on January 27 in separate
incidents in the Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan. Separately, in Mohmand Agency, six
people, including three women and two children, were killed in Swezai area of Pandyali tehsil
when stray shells hit their houses.
• At least 18 suspected militants were killed and 22 others were injured when gunship
helicopters and fighter jets bombed militant hideouts in different parts of Mohmand Agency on
January. Dawn; Daily Times;Tribune; The News; Tribune, January 25-31, 2011 .
• Spain arrests Pakistani national for terror links: Spanish Police on January 27 arrested a

9. Pakistani national, Malik Imtanan Sarwar, suspected to be linked to a cell that forges passports
for al Qaeda-linked outfits. Police had been looking for the suspect since seven members of
the cell were arrested in Spain in December 2010 and three more in Thailand. Daily Times,
January 29, 2011.
• Al Qaeda’s safe havens along Pakistan-Afghanistan border shrinking, says US
President Barack Obama: United States (US) President Barack Obama adhering to his plan
to begin drawdown of some American troops from Afghanistan in 2011 said on January 25 that
al Qaeda havens along Pakistan-Afghanistan border are shrinking and fewer Afghans live
under the Taliban control. "Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield.
Their safe havens are shrinking," Obama said of al Qaeda in Pakistan. Daily Times, January
27, 2011.
• Al Qaeda leader admits facing challenges from US drones, reveal intelligence reports:
An al Qaeda leader, Ustadh Ahmad Farooq, in Pakistan on January 27 said the terror network
is losing territory and fighters amid a United States (US) drone strike campaign. Speaking
about the challenges facing al Qaeda Farooq in a speech said, "There were many areas where
we once had freedom, but now they have been lost," he said, adding, "We are the ones that
are losing people, we are the ones facing shortages of resources. Our land is shrinking and
drones are flying in the sky." The US-based SITE Intelligence group, which tracks militant
websites and other media, described Farooq as al Qaeda’s head of media and preaching in
Pakistan. Daily Times, January 28, 2011.
SRI LANKA
• Arrest warrants issued against six LTTE cadres: A Sri Lankan court on January 28 issued
open arrest warrants against six prominent cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) believed to be living overseas. The court order will be implemented through the
Interpol. Colombo Page, January 29, 2011.