Operation al-Mizan

{{Short description|Military invasion in North Waziristan}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Operation al-Mizan

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| partof = United States invasion of Afghanistan

| image = Pakistan NWFP FATA NORTH WAZIRISTAN.svg

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| caption = North Waziristan is the yellow colored region

| date = 2002 – 2006

| place = North Waziristan

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| result = Pakistan – US victory{{refn|name="result"|Sources describing the result of the Operation al-Mizan:{{Cite web |url=http://www.issi.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/1339999992_58398784.pdf |title=Military Operations in FATA and PATA - Institute of Strategic Studies}}Abbas, H. (2007). Probing the Jihadi Mindset. Terrorism and Political Violence, 19(4), 595-613. doi:10.1080/09546550701606564 - Discusses Pakistan's Operation Al-Mizan in South Waziristan in 2002-2003 which targeted al-Qaeda militants.Abbas, H. (2014). The Taliban insurgency in Pakistan: Operation Rah-e-Rast. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 25(3), 512-537. - Discusses how Operation Al-Mizan targeted key Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan sanctuaries.Javaid, U. (2011). War on Terror Partnership: Pak-US Relations since 2001. Journal of Political Studies, 18(1), 195-208. - Describes Operation Al-Mizan as a "carefully planned offensive" that disrupted the Taliban.Gulf News (2009, August 12). Pakistan kills 120 Taliban in South Waziristan. Retrieved from https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-kills-120-taliban-in-south-waziristan-1.50560 - Contemporary news report highlighting Pakistan's gains against the Taliban in Operation Al-Mizan.Bajoria, J. & Kaplan, E. (2010). The ISI and Terrorism: Behind the Accusations. Council on Foreign Relations. - Notes that Operation Al-Mizan succeeded in disrupting Taliban operations and supply lineKhan, I. (2011). Backgrounder: Pakistan's Waziristan Offensive. Center for International Security and Cooperation, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. - Discusses the gains made by Pakistan during Operation Al-Mizan.}}

| status =

| combatants_header = Belligerents

| combatant1 = {{Flag|Pakistan}}

{{Flag|United States}}

| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Jihad.svg}} Al-Qaeda

{{flagicon image|Flag of Taliban.svg}} Taliban

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| units1 ={{army|Pakistan}}

• {{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} 20th Infantry battalion
• {{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} 6th Combat engineer battalion
• {{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} 2nd Signal corps
• 19px Special Service Group

{{flagicon image|Flag of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.svg}} FCKP(S)
19px US special forces

| units2 = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Jihad.svg}} Al-Qaeda

{{flagicon image|Flag of Taliban.svg}} Taliban

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| strength1 = 70,000 – 80,000 (Pakistan army)

| strength2 = 10,000

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| casualties1 = 1,000 dead, 1,400 wounded and 200 Chechens, Uzbeks, and Arabs wounded, dead or missing

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The Operation al-Mizan ({{langx|en|Operation Justice}}) was a series of strategic military campaigns conducted by the Pakistan army and 10,000 United States special operations forces from 2002 to 2006. It continued for five years in various phases eventually, several other operations including the Operation Carlosa II. Al-Mizan was the first major operation of Pakistani troops to combat foreign militant outfits in North Waziristan of North-West Frontier Province. An estimate of 70,000 to 80,000 troops were deployed in affected areas.{{Cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/06-Sep-2017/defence-day-of-pakistan-fresh-blood-infused|title=Defence Day of Pakistan—fresh blood infused|first=S. M.|last=Hali|date=September 6, 2017|website=nation.com.pk}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNZMAgAAQBAJ&dq=operation+al-mizan+US+army&pg=PA170|title=Global Issues| first1=Kristen E. | last1=Boon | first2=Aziz | last2=Huq | first3=Douglas Jr. | last3=Lovelace |date=March 10, 2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780195398076}}

The operation al-Mizan was responsible for the first casualties listed in 2002 by the Western Front. It was conducted when Pakistan, US and NATO forces were severely targeted by the militants on the international border Durand Line. The most militancy-affected areas were Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) before the operation was initiated.{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/defence/pak-army-fast-losing-young-home-grown-terror-11-dead-year/18625/|title=Pakistan's own terror brew killing its young army officers, not India|first=Manu|last=Pubby|date=November 28, 2017}}