Battle of Bajaur The Battle of Bajaur or Operation Sherdil was a military offensive in the Bajaur region of Pakistan launched by the Frontier Corps supported by a Combat Brigade of the Pakistan Army . The Bajaur area had been under Taliban control since early 2007 , and was said to be Al - Qaeda ' s main command and control hub for operations in Northeast Afghanistan , including Kunar province . Bajaur is now cleared of Taliban . Ambush in Bajaur . In early August 2008 , a post was established by the Frontier Corps to take control of the border crossing near the town of Loyesam , 12 km from Khaar , the Bajaur Agency administration headquarters , from militants loyal to the Tehrik - e - Taliban , the so - called Pakistani Taliban . Loyesam ( or Loisam ) is a strategic position that controls the passage into Afghanistan ' s Kunar province . The 150 - strong force drawn from the paramilitary Frontier Corps were surrounded by several hundred Taliban fighters , and heavy fighting erupted as they tried to break out . After a three - day battle the Pakistani troops retreated from Loyesam back to Khaar , and the Taliban seemed victorious . Operation Sherdil . However , several days later the Frontier Corps began a large - scale offensive under the command of Major - General Tariq Khan , codenamed Operation Sherdil ( Lionheart ) , with the objective of regaining control of Bajaur from the Taliban . About 8 , 000 troops belonging to the FC and Army were involved , backed by Cobra attack helicopter s and fighter jets that pounded Taliban holdouts . To support the Army , Pakistan Air Force responded with aggressive air campaigns . Pakistani military sources indicate that the army has been surprised by the resistance the insurgents have been putting up . The Taliban have been using advanced tactics , fighting from prepared defenses . By the end of the year the Army claimed to have killed more than 1 , 000 militants , including the local Al - Qaeda commander , an Egypt ian called Abu Saeed Al - Masri . The Army suffered 82 killed . The Pakistani army has also encouraged local tribes to rise against the Taliban , by raising " lashkars " ( tribal militias ) to fight alongside the government forces . The Salarzai tribe , that reportedly counts 4 , 000 armed fighters , responded favourably to this initiative . On 7 October , the Salarzai elders announced that they had cleared their tribal territory of militants , and requested the deployment of government troops to consolidate the gains they had made . According to several sources , the 20 September Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing may have been carried out in retaliation for the military offensive in Bajaur . On 8 October , during a briefing to the Parliament , the military announced that 2 , 744 militants , including 321 foreigners , had been killed and 1 , 400 injured since the start of the operation in the whole of Pakistan . On 25 October , the Pakistan Army reported that they had recaptured Loi Sam from the Taliban . In Bajaur itself by 25 October 500 militants were reported to have been killed . By the end of 2008 security forces were in control of the main road Torghudai , Nawagai , Uttmankhel Area and Salarzai Area . By mid 2009 , the Security forces controlled bulk of Mamond and Chahrmang valleys as well . The final operation was launched in February 2010 with fresh re - enforcements to mop up the last pockets of militants including the notorious Damadola stronghold and finally Bajaur was declared clear in March 2010 . Completion of kinetic operations resulted in massive surrenders and beginning of Cordon and Search Operations . Strategic significance . Opinions by military leaders during the early stages of the battle asserted it to be a deciding showdown in Pakistan ' s war against Taliban forces . Military officials allegedly said the conflict " could decide the fate of other tribal areas " with Bajaur possibly being the most important militant stronghold outside of Waziristan . An influx of Taliban fighters from the Kunar Province across the border in Afghanistan , diverting resources from the battle there against the International Security Assistance Force ( ISAF ) , was seen as a further sign of the defining nature of the battle . Defeat of the Taliban . On 28 February 2009 , the Security Forces finally defeated the Taliban and other Islamist militants in Bajaur , which was a strategically important region on the Afghan border . Major - General Tariq Khan , who was commanding the military operations in five of the seven agencies , said the Army and the Frontier Corps had killed most militants in Bajaur , the smallest of the agencies but a major infiltration route into Afghanistan , after a six - month offensive . By the time the six - month long battle in Bajaur was over , the Pakistan Army killed over 1 , 500 militants while losing 97 of their own soldiers and another 404 soldiers seriously injured . Leadership . Maj Gen . Tariq Khan . Gen . Tariq Khan served as the Inspector General of the Frontier Corps during Operation Sherdil . He is known as the architect of the Battle of Bajaur . He is largely credited with transforming the Frontier Corps into a highly efficient and professional counter terrorism force . He personally supervised all operations in Bajaur . His physical presence at the forward most positions during critical stages of the battle was an inspiration for the junior leaders and a morale booster for the troops . Brig . Abid Mumtaz . Brigadier Abid Mumtaz , served as the Officer commanding of Operation Sherdil in Bajaur . A commander noted for leading his troops from the front . He demonstrated an example of his dedication to service on 9 September 2008 , when the leading force under his command reached Rashakai the line of communication was disrupted by the militants at Nissarabad , he chose to remain with the forward troops and physically led the forward forces in all link up attempts for 15 days , falling back to his headquarters only when the line of communication was restored . He was awarded for his gallant actions . Brig . Zafar - Ul - Haq . . Brigadier Zafar - ul - Haq replaced Brig Abid Mumtaz on 24 February 2010 . Brigadier Zafar - ul - Haq , is a chivalrous and brave commander who has launched numerous operations for final annihlation of Taliban phenomenon from Bajaur . He ensured expansion of security forces in every part of Bajaur . Brigadier Zafar - Ul - Haq has pushed the Taliban quite back away from the locals areas and has insured safety for the local people . Now Bajaur is completely free of Talibans because of the work that Brig Abid Mumtaz , Brig Zafar - Ul - Haq and all the other men who served with them . Battalion Commanders ( Operation Sherdil ) . . Battalion commanders who served in operation sherdil and made the operation a resounding success were : - It was the dedicated and unflinching faith of these commanders in their cause that the most resilient and tenacious Al - Qaeda and Taliban elements were defeatead and annihilated from the restive Valley of Bajuar . Col . Nauman Saeed . Colonel Nauman Saeed , served as the operations commandant in Bajaur , he was posted in and was due to assume command on 14 August 2008 . However owing to extraordinary operational circumstances he had to leave for Bajaur on 6 August 2008 . A party sent to set up a post at Loesam was surrounded by miscreants , Col . Nauman Saeed led a link up force on 8 August 2008 after a failed attempt to link up the previous day . The troops were ambushed at Tankhatta where they fought back and held their positions for over 8 hours against well entrenched militants to facilitate successful ex - filtration of the party surrounded at Loesam . In another incident , the convoy of Inspector - General Frontier Corps Major - General Tariq Khan was ambushed on 9 September 2009 at Nissarabad . Col . Nauman went back to the ambush site with a tank and a Quick Response Force to extricate the crew of a vehicle that had been disabled by militant fire . In the process , the Colonel ' s tank received multiple hits by RPG - 7s , his operator received a bullet injury yet they were able to punish the ambush site and successfully extricate the stranded vehicle along with the soldiers . The colonel has been decorated .