Author: Bill Gertz
Publication: The Washington Times
Date: November 1, 2001
The Taliban militia is receiving
military and other supplies covertly from Pakistan despite the Islamabad
government's backing for American military operations, according to U.S.
officials. The military goods, including ammunition and fuel, are being
sent with the help of elements of the Pakistani government, said officials
familiar with intelligence reports of the transfers. Officials, speaking
on the condition of anonymity, said the trade is approved by officials
of the Pakistani military and the Inter-Services Intelligence service (ISI).
The ISI, in particular, is said to have close ties with the Taliban regime.
The trade is said to take place at night by trucks. The goods travel from
Quetta to the Pakistani border town of Chaman and then on to Kandahar,
a known Taliban stronghold. "There are two border control regimes: One
before sundown and one after sundown," said one official. The trade violates
a resolution by the United Nations imposed in December that bars arms transfers
to Afghanistan or the ruling Taliban militia. The continuing support for
the Taliban by Pakistan's intelligence service highlights the difficulties
faced by Islamabad in supporting U.S. military operations against the Taliban
and al Qaeda terrorist training camps. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf
several weeks ago fired ISI chief Lt. Gen. Mahmood Ahmed who was viewed
as insufficiently loyal. Gen. Musharraf said during the recent visit to
Pakistan by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell that his government would
provide intelligence, overflight rights and logistical support "as long
as the operation" in Afghanistan goes on. It could not be learned whether
the illicit trade is approved by the Pakistan government or is taking place
behind the back of Gen. Musharraf. A Pakistani Embassy spokesman denied
the government was involved in any arms shipments or supplies to the Taliban.
"This is certainly not true," said
Mian Asad Hayauddin, the spokesman. Mr. Hayauddin said, however, that the
border with Afghanistan is porous, especially in the southern area and
that local tribes are known to conduct cross-border trade. Asked about
foreign military supplies to the Taliban, a senior defense official said
recently, "We know of no significant aid organized aid from a foreign state."
The official would not answer when asked to detail the aid. Meanwhile,
Rear Adm. John Stufflebeem, deputy director of operations for the Joint
Staff, confirmed that B-52 bombers are being used to attack Taliban troops
and terrorist training camps. New reports from Afghanistan have shown U.S.
bombing raids using 500-pound bombs in areas north of Kabul. "The B-52s
are being utilized in areas all over the country, including on Taliban
forces in the North," said Adm. Stufflebeem.
He declined to elaborate on the
targets of the B-52 bombers but disputed that the raids were "carpet bombing"
- high-altitude bomb drops that were used in the Vietnam War. "I think
it's an inaccurate term," said Adm. Stufflebeem. "It's an old expression.
Heavy bombers have the capacity to carry large loads of weapons, and oftentimes
if a target presents itself either in an engagement zone, or when directed,
it's possible to release an entire load of bombs at once, in which case
the real formal term for that is called a 'longstick,' which has also been
called carpet bombing." The use of B-52s "is part of our campaign," he
said. "We do use it and have used it, and we'll use it when we need to."
The use of the B-52s in area bombing raids has followed the arrival in
the past few days of U.S. troops who are assisting the opposition Northern
Alliance by helping to identify targets and directing U.S. air strikes.
Pentagon officials said the U.S. soldiers have helped make the bombing
raids more effective. U.S. intelligence officials said the Pakistani government
of Gen. Musharraf is struggling against internal opposition from hard-line
Islamic elements within the military and intelligence service that are
sympathetic to the Taliban. "The Taliban is a creature of the ISI," one
official said. Two Indian newspapers reported last month that Indian intelligence
services said that Pakistani military-ISI elements were helping the Taliban
with military supplies, including aviation fuel and ammunition. The Pioneer
newspaper of New Delhi stated that Pakistan military and intelligence officials
are based in Afghanistan and are assisting the Taliban military forces.
The Deccan Herald of Bangalore, quoting a classified Indian intelligence
report, stated that the arms from Pakistan to the Taliban were being sent
disguised as United Nations humanitarian relief supplies. Adm. Stufflebeem
said Taliban "command and control" - the system used to communicate and
direct orders to troops - has been "cut" and "degraded." "They're having
extreme difficulty communicating one to another," Adm. Stufflebeem said.
"Mullah Omar is still their leader, their commander. They are still attempting
to be able to communicate with Mullah Omar. They are also trying to be
resupplied and reinforced, and they're having difficulties in all of that.
We believe that that puts a terrific amount of stress on their military
capability as their regional commanders, who have been used to a lot of
top-down control, may not be getting that now." Defense Secretary Donald
H. Rumsfeld, meanwhile, leaves today for Russia and Central Asia. In Moscow,
he will discuss arms-control issues and he will then travel to undisclosed
Central Asian nations for talks with leaders on the operations in Afghanistan.
