Siege of Lal Masjid

Operation Silence
Location of the Lal Masjid
Date July 3, 2007 – present Location Lal Masjid, Islamabad (Pakistan) Result Ongoing
Belligerents
Pakistani security forces (Police & Rangers)	Students of Madrasa and their supporters
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Haroon-ul-Islam†	Abdul Rashid Ghazi
Strength
12,000 15 Armoured Vehicles	5,000
Casualties and losses
2 Pakistan Rangers	70-80 killed (unconfirmed); 1,200+ surrendered or captured Militants claim 335 killed, hundreds wounded
19 civilians killed Over 150 wounded

The Lal Masjid siege (also known as Operation Silence) is a siege that begun on July 3, 2007, and is currently taking place against the students and members of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa by Pakistani security forces, notably the Pakistan Rangers and Islamabad Capital Territory police.

Lal Masjid (literally: The Red Mosque) is a mosque following the Deoband version of Islam located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

Background

In 2006, the leaders of the mosque, Abdul Aaziz Ghazi and Abdul Rashid Ghazi, started to challenge the writ of the government in the capital of Islamabad, by setting up Sharia judicial system, and by instigating scores of incidents of kidnappings of people accused and convicted of un-Islamic activities. By the start of year 2007, the students of Lal Masjid, on the will of the administration of the annexed madrassa, Jamia Hafsa, started public preaching on ethics according to Islam and Sharia.

Meanwhile the government, concerned about the growing unrest, deployed Pakistan Rangers and police near the Lal Masjid and made laying barbed wires as part of security measures.

Chronology

July 3, 2007

On July 3, 2007, a gun battle erupted between the supporters of Lal Masjid and Pakistani security forces when some students from the madrassa Jamia Hafsa seized some wireless sets and weapons from Rangers deployed in a nearby picket, while a procession of female students was ongoing before the security forces. As part of this, police fired tear gas shells to disperse the students. Meanwhile some students opened fire on Pakistan Rangers deployed nearby resulting in the death of one Ranger at the spot. Upon this, cross-firing started, leaving 9 dead on the spot and about 150 injured. Among the dead were some students, a TV news channel cameraman, a business man and some other passers-by. Within minutes, security forces cordonned off the area and a state of emergency was declared in the capital's hospitals. The siege started that led to many other incidents. Approximately 150 students attacked a nearby Ministry of Environment office building setting fire and damaging and ablazing many vehicles.

July 4, 2007

Curfew: Authorities announced an indefinite curfew on the students of the mosque in Sector G-6 of Islamabad, where Lal Masjid is located. A command was issued to shoot anyone coming out of the mosque with arms.

Deadlines: The Pakistani government announced frequent warnings and deadlines in an attempt to resolve the issue. The government offered those inside the mosque who exit unarmed Rs. 5000 ($83; £41), and free education. Women inside the mosque were also offered safe passage to their homes. The deadline was regularly extended as mosque leaders employed a strategy of allowing a certain amount of students to surrender during the passage of each deadline, requiring security forces to renegotiate an extension.

First deadline: Government authorities announced the first deadline for students and persons present inside the Lal Masjid to surrender unconditionally by 1530 Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

Second deadline: The Government further extended the deadline by half an hour to 1600 PST.

Third deadline: A further extension was observed until 1800 PST.

Fourth deadline: A fourth deadline was announced until 1930 PST.

Fifth deadline: Authorities further relaxed the deadline until 2130 PST.

The head of the mosque, Maulana Abdul Aziz, was captured attempting to leave disguised in a burqa after the fourth deadline. After Aziz's capture, approximately 800 male students and 400 female students of Jamia Hafsa surrendered to the authorities.

July 5, 2007

Before dawn, Pakistani troops set off a series of explosions around the mosque. While fire was exchanged throughout the day, the clashes apparently stopped.

Extension of deadlines continued on July 5th too with a strategy of the government to evacuate the mosque and annexed madrassa (Jamia Hafsa) before the final operation takes place. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao announced at a press conference that it was believed that 300-400 students remained in the mosque, 50-60 of whom were "militants". However, the statements from government authorities were controversial and according to surrendering students about 2000 students are still inside.

Abdul Aziz's younger brother, Ghazi Abdul Rashid, has been negotiating with a government mediator. He claims that he and the remaining students would be willing to exit the mosque and lay down their arms provided the government stopped firing upon them and granted them amnesty. However, government officials are sceptical that Abdul Rashid will honour his word. In his one of the telephone interviews with one of live transmissions of Geo TV on Thursday, July 5, 2007, Moulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid denied all charges on him and said he was innocent. He further negotiated with the government to deal with him on safe passage and no harm to his companions inside besides taking care of his ailing mother. However, government asked him to surrender unconditionally along with his armed students.

July 6, 2007

Siege continued on July 6th too. Meanwhile many negotiation offers were held between the besieged Lal Masjid administration and the government authorities without positive outcome. Meanwhile cross firing continued between the two parties. 21 more students surrendered before the authorities, 2 students were killed during cross-firing. Government is strategising to give more time for safe evacuation of the students from the besieged mosque and annexed madrassa before the final showdown.

July 7, 2007

Ultimatum: President Pervez Musharraf issued an ultimatum of Saturday evening. Pakistan army took control over the operations replacing the paramilitary troops who were earlier deployed near the premises. One child, aged 13 was successful to escape from the besieged mosque.

July 8, 2007

The boundary wall of Lal Masjid and the Jamia Hafsa collapsed following heavy gunfight between the Pakistan Army and the Islamists. On the other hand, Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi says they are not going to seize and that they have enough weapons and rations for about a months time. SSG Commander Lt. Col. Haroon-ul-Islam, who was leading the operation, lost his life late Sunday night. Commander Haroon-ul-Islam was injured and rushed to CMH hospital in the Friday operation where he succumbed to his injuries.

July 9, 2007

A group representing Pakistani madrassas headed by Maulana Salimullah Khan called for an immediate cessation of the Lal Masjid operation.

July 10, 2007

At approximately 4 A.M. local time (23:00 GMT on Monday), troops entered the madrasa under fire from the militants, intending to clear the hostiles. Subsequent to the assault, about 20 students escaped from the compound.

Casualties

As of July 8, 2007; the death toll figured at over 24, as the cross-firing continues between the suspected militants and security forces. The death toll is based on the casualties reported and confirmed by the authorities outside Lal Masjid. This doesn't include figures that show how many are killed and injured who are present in the Lal Masjid.

Revenge to Government

Some related events took place in the country that are being potentially linked as a revenge to government's policy:

• Attack on Musharaf's Plane: On Friday, July 6, 2007, President Musharaf left for the flood-affected areas of Balochistan. As the President's plane took off at Islamabad airport, some militants whose association with the besieged Masjid is unknown fired anti-aircraft guns at the President's plane from the roof of a house in Asghar Mall area of Rawalpindi city. Security forces captured two anti-aircraft guns along with a machine gun on a roof top of an Rawalpindi high rise, just a mile away from the airport. However, government asserted that the fires were heard minutes after the President's plane took off. No clue to the incident is still known. However analysts say it may be a retaliation to ongoing operations against Lal Masjid and the government's continuing efforts against terrorism and Talibanization in Northern Waziristan.

See also

• Waziristan conflict
• 2007 Karachi riots

External links

• Profile: Islamabad's Red Mosque (BBC)