Daily brief: Afghanistan to receive captured Taliban commander from Pakistan
Afghan and Pakistani officials have announced that once a formal request from Kabul is received in Islamabad, Pakistan will transfer the Afghan Taliban’s number two, Mullah Baradar back to Afghanistan. Reports suggest the head of the FBI requested U.S. custody of Baradar but was turned down. Upwards of 7 of the 15 head Taliban leaders have allegedly been arrested, varying from the 3 alleged arrests reported earlier in the week. Both figures suggest a much closer relationship between the Pakistani intelligence agencies and the CIA. Pakistani officials also announce that a blast killing three U.S. soldiers was in-fact targeted at a jeep thought to be carrying local paramilitary officials.
After a combined NATO and Afghan raid, the town of Marjah has been freed from Taliban rule. Afghani police raised the Afghan flag over the city before a crowd of over seven hundred. America has initiated large scale munitions sales to both India and Pakistan in the recent weeks, including F16 jets, and laser guided missiles. While Pakistan acquires these weapons through U.S. grants, India purchases them with their own funds. The article ends with a paragraph describing an Washington Post investigation into cash flows out of the country, finding strange patters such as a 2 month summer period where more than 180$ million was declared by afghan passengers heading to Dubai.
This article from Foreign Policy’s AfPak Channel is an insightful overview of recent events. The ”hottest” topic in current events seems to be the apparent tightening of CIA and Pakistani intelligence. The handing over of Baradar to Afghanistan also shows trust and a willingness to work together on the part of the Pakistanis, a fairly new and progressive attitude. The raid of Marjah was hailed as a success, which could have influenced the recent decision to trade large quantities of advanced military technology to both Pakistan and India. This strongly suggests cohesiveness behind the scenes.


Daily brief: coordinated Taliban attacks leave 18 dead in Afghan capital
More than a month of calm was ended on the morning the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, when Taliban suicide bombers in cars and on foot targeted two buildings in Kabul, the Afghan capital. The building was often used by foreign visitors and as many as 18 people including an Italian, a Frenchman, ten Indians, and a Pakistani, were killed. Witnesses claimed the bombers also used guns and grenades, and the attacks left eight Afghans including three police officers dead and some 40 wounded. The attack could suggest that the Taliban as a whole has not been suffered greatly by the ongoing coalition offensive in Marjah. However, this could also suggest an act of desperation in order to bluff that they have not been wounded.
A Washington Post reporter writes that the recent crackdown may put pressure on the Taliban, but the Taliban has survived the loss of senior leaders before. This is followed by a report that Mullah Baradar will in-fact be kept in Pakistani custody and not handed over to Afghans. On wednesday a suspected U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan reportedly killed a commander in the 'Punjabi Taliban' who was wanted in connection with the 2006 bombing on the U.S. consulate in Karachi.
This article starts out as an overview of a recent bombing, and continues with information that supports an ongoing trend in articles about Afghanistan and Pakistan. Disorganization. With every article comes a new decision contradicting the previous article. After reading four articles, two will claim that a prisoner is being transferred from Pakistan to Afghanistan, while another will say he is not, and the other will claim he was not arrested at all. It is tough to know which articles to trust, as they are all coming from legitimate sources.

Pakistan flag flies over former Taliban stronghold
The Pakistani army claims it has flushed the militants out of the tribal region of Bajaur, where fighting has been going on since August 2008. The Taliban center of operations was in an area called Damadola, just in front of giant peaks. The Pakistani flag was raised for the first time in the history of the state. The Taliban had dug in, literally, carving about 150 caves and tunnels deep into the mountains. BBC was able to send reporters into the cave to take fascinating pictures, which captured the haste in which the fighters fled by revealing rugs, bedding, and even shoes left behind. The caves are estimated to have taken five or six years to build.
The Pakistani general in charge believes the insurgents are defeated, but they have been defeated only to return before. Local militia have risen to the scene and vow to fight the Taliban if they return. The army is counting on militia such as this to help keep the Taliban at bay. Losing the support of the public is a major step in eradicating the Taliban. Pakistani officials are voicing that they want to see a lot more action similar to this across the border in Afghanistan. They also claim that locals, above all, want jobs. Being employed will keep people occupied, and allow to the purchase needed commodities and improve their quality of life. Without employment it is much easier to be persuaded by the Taliban.
This article shows positive progression in the fight against Taliban. The effort of Pakistani Military in the border region is vital for the ongoing suppression of the Taliban. The article reaffirms reports of Pakistan stepping up its military presence and influence in the border region. Another very important aspect that is underscored is the reception of the military by local leaders and the public. The heros welcome that the soldiers received is a strong indication that Taliban influence is diminishing in the region, and unlikely to return.