Makeen

Makeen Makin
Makeen Location in Pakistan
Coordinates: 32°37′15.6″N 69°50′21.72″E / 32.621000°N 69.8393667°E / 32.621000; 69.8393667
Country	Pakistan
Region	Federally Administered Tribal Areas
District	South Waziristan
Subdivision	Ladha
Tehsil	Makin
Elevation	5,600 ft (1,700 m)
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)

Makeen or Makin, is a small town in South Waziristan, Pakistan, located on the Y-junction between Sararogha and Wana, just south of Razmak in North Waziristan. It is mainly populated by members of the Mehsud tribe. The Pakistani military has called it "the nerve center" of the Pakistani Taliban.^[1] Just north of Makeen is the village of China, and the Taliban stronghold of Ladha is a few kilometers to the south.

The Jan Alam Hospital is located in Makeen's bazaar.^[2] The bazaar is the commercial hub of the Mehsud tribe. As of 2005, tribesmen entering Makeen bazaar had to deposit weapons at a checkpoint, to be returned on departure.

The Makeen Tehsil has seven middle schools (including two for girls) and two high schools (none for girls).^[3]

Recent history

Makeen was the base of Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of Tehrik-i-Taliban until his death in an August 2009 drone attack.^[4][5] In 2007, Baitullah Mehsud was at "Anwar Shah’s house" in Makeen when he allegedly claimed responsibility for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto during an intercepted phone call.^[6][7]

A February 2009 United States drone attack struck three compounds, allegedly used by Baitullah Mehsud.^[8] Two vehicles were destroyed in a March 2009 drone strike.^[9] A June 2009 airstrike aimed at Baitullah Mehsud and his deputy Qari Hussain killed 60 people in Makeen. In August 2009, a drone attack destroyed the house of Mehsud's father-in-law.^[10] Makeen has also been involved in factional fighting between rival Taliban groups and tribal disputes, including a shootout after Mehsud's death.^[11][12]

New York Times reporter David Rohde and two Afghan colleagues Tahir Luddin and Asad Mangal were being held in Makeen during the March 2009 missile strike.^[13] Rohde reported that the area "teemed with Uzbek, Arab, Afghan and Pakistani militants." After the drone strike, the Taliban arrested and executed a local man, whose decapitated body was hung in the local bazaar.

Makeen is a target of Operation Rah-e-Nijat, which was launched in October 2009. On 6 November 2009, the Pakistani Army entered Makeen, and cleared a large part of the town.^[14] The military razed Mehsud's house.

References

Coordinates: 32°37′15.60″N 69°50′21.72″E / 32.6210000°N 69.8393667°E / 32.6210000; 69.8393667