The Orakzai and Kurram offensive, also known as Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham (; ) was a Pakistani military operation against the Tehrik-i-Taliban in the Orakzai Agency and Kurram Agency area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas that began on 23 March 2010. It was part of the War in North-West Pakistan.
Timeline
23 March. Start of Offensive
On 23 March 2010 the Pakistani army launched a military operation to clear insurgents from Orakzai. "This will finish in a couple of months. We'll take care of all of them. We're just waiting for the major operations — like Orakzai and North Waziristan — to finish, to spare us the troops to start changing our methodology. Instead of kinetic, concentrated operations, we start search and cordon and sting operations, for which actually you need more boots on the ground," said Tariq Khan. On 1 April 2010 security forces claimed to have taken complete control of the Lower Orakzai Agency. On 12 April security forces claimed to have extended their control over more areas of Orakzai Agency and were advancing to Upper Orakzai Agency. Militants began fleeing to parts of Tirah Valley which border Khyber Agency.
5 May. Operation in Lower Orakzai Agency end
On 5 May operations in Lower Orakzai ended with 5 thousand Pakistani families returned to the area with government provided transport and security to settle these refugees back into their homes. The offensive which started on 22 March ended with seven thousand troops seizing control of the area. About 400 militants were killed in Lower Orakzai and soldiers were now fighting in central Orakzai, according to the army.
10–19 May. Ongoing clashes in Orakzai. 118 insurgents killed. 11 soldiers killed. 10 May. At least nine soldiers were killed in clashes and about 30 insurgents were also killed in Pakistan's north-western tribal region of Orakzai. Military officials described the battle between the insurgents and the army as "fierce" and said that two officers were among the dead.
16 May. "Fighter jets and helicopter gunships attacked militant sanctuaries in the villages of Dabori, Gojar and Kamer Mela in Orakzai, killing 40 suspected insurgents", said Samiullah Khan, a senior government administrator in Orakzai. "Troops attacked militant hide-outs in Koul village, triggering clashes that killed 18 suspected insurgents.Five soldiers and at least 25 militants were wounded in the fighting. The injured militants were taken into custody", said Jehanzeb Khan, a local administrator. 17 May it became known that the total number of dead militants had reached 60.
19 May. There was another military clash between Pakistani troops and the Taliban. According to the army this killed 28 insurgents and wounded 21. Also killed in the fighting were two Pakistani soldiers.
1 June. Successful end to military offensive in Orakzai. Preparation for the offensive in North Waziristan The Pakistan Army declared an end to military offensive in Orakzai after announcing it has fully cleared Orakzai of Taliban., however locals claimed that while Lower Orakzai is cleared the situation in Central and Upper Orakzai had not changed much. To date, Pakistani authorities plan to begin full-scale military offensive in North Waziristan. According to Pakistani authorities in North Waziristan is the Taliban leadership and al-Qaeda.
3 June. Pakistani Army declared victory in Kurram
According to the Pakistani Army, Taliban insurgents had also been cleared from the Kurram Agency.
Clashes in Orakzai and Kurram
2010
13 June. At least 44 Taliban insurgents were killed by the Pakistani army in the ongoing military operation in the tribal areas of Pakistan (mainly military clashes continue in the Upper Orakzai region. and Kurram). Also, in this military clash 6 Pakistani soldiers were killed.
16 June.The insurgents kidnapped 60 people in Kurram.
20 June.Pakistani air strike killed at least 13 Taliban insurgents in the Orakzai Agency.
21–22 June. At least 4 Pakistani army soldiers and 43 Taliban insurgents were killed during two days in the Orakzai Agency tribal areas.
23 June. A new clash in the Orakzai Agency, killed at least 24 Taliban insurgents and 1 Pakistani paramilitary soldier. Also nine soldiers were reportedly wounded.
24 June. At least 39 Taliban insurgents were killed by the Pakistani Army in Upper Orakzai. It was reported that 1 Pakistani soldier was also apparently killed.
26 June. At least 14 Taliban insurgents were killed in the Orakzai Agency by Pakistani fighter jet.