From: Andrea Pfanzelter Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 11:47 PM To: Terje Rod-Larsen; Jeff Epstein Attachments: polio feb 15.doc; ATT00001.htm Report by IPI on 2 recent polio-related incide=ts, as requested: Note: IPI research began as usual, right after these incidents were reported in the Pak local media, IPI's data- base is kept u=dated on all such incidents. (i) Zhob= Balochistan: Zhob is of geo-str=tegic importance for the Taliban (both TTPakistan & TTAfghanist=n) as it shares a border with South Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan (& other trouble spots) as well as Afghani=tan — & connects Balochistan with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa & Punjab; Zhob i= also important as a major landroute for goods transport between KP & Karachi port. Zhob Airport was used by NATO 2009-2011. The border area is protected by Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps. Zhob is an important passageway for militants, smugglers & Afghan refugees. There are a number of TTP "camps" in Zhob, with large caches of arms, ammunition, explosives.&nbs=; Hence for a number of years, security forces have carryied out repeated operations in the area (including helicopters), leading to increased kidnappings & terror actions by militant groups to protect their camps, including attacks on Levies checkposts especially in Murgha Kibzai. This makes Zhob a no-go + high-risk area. The polio-related kidnapping was most recently preced=d by the kidnapping of six Pak Telecommunication Co. staff (including 2 engineers, all still missing).&nbs=; The most important political party in the Zhob area is the religion-based Jamiat Ulema e Islam (JUI). The impor=ant militant groups in Zhob are: TTP & some of its splinter groups; Jundallah — a militant group dating to pre-Taliban days, which has in recent years shown renewed terror activity; Jundallah claimed the 26 Nov 20=2 attack (when it attacked a polio team in Eastern Bypass area of Quetta, kil=ing 4 polio workers) & has in the past 12 months allied itsel