SADDA (Kurram Agency), Dec 18: The military said on Tuesday that central Kurram had been purged of militants, but troops would stay till the civil administration become capable to perform its duties.

“The security forces have done their job and the area has been cleared off the militants except few small pockets,” Operation Commander Brigadier Tariq Aman told a group of journalists at a makeshift Brigade Headquarters in Sadda town, lower Kurram Agency.

He said that objectives of the operation “Mamozai” had been achieved to secure the entire areas in central Kurram adjacent to the troubled Orakzai and Khyber agencies. He said that troops had reached Saama Bazaar and Joggi areas, demarcation points separating Kurram and Orakzai.

A substantial number of troops are still in the area to assist the Frontier Corps and Levies Force, and displaced families have been sent back to their homes. “It was a coordinated operation conducted by the army, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Air Force,” said Brig Aman. Political agent Yousaf Rahim and Commandant Kurram Militia Col Sher Jeel also briefed media about return process of internally displaced persons and rehabilitation activities in the conflict-stricken valley.

The first phase of operation was launched in July 2011 and second in October 2011 that lasted till May 2012. The officials said that forces had suffered 75 casualties, while 220 soldiers were wounded and 90 personnel suffered because of frostbite.

They said that about 500 militants, including foreigners, had been killed in the operation.

But like Maulana Fazlullah of Swat the most wanted man in the area, Mullah Toofan, who was leading local and foreign militants, has escaped. A security official said that a hardened militant from Azerbaijan named Zahoor Aslanov had been killed in action.

“Mullah Toofan might be in Orakzai or Khyber, but he has been routed from central Kurram,” said Brig Aman. He said that one of the objectives of the operation to put brakes on frequent movement of militants from one tribal area to another had been materialised.

“Central Kurram was described as ‘don’t go area’ because of its tough terrain and militancy. Now people can move freely because state’s writ has been restored,” he maintained.

He said that security forces had now been deployed almost at all unfrequented routes to block such movements. He said that Thall-Parachinar Road which remained closed for four years had been reopened after the militants’ defeat.

MAIN CHALLENGES: Though the military authorities claimed victory over Taliban in central Kurram, revival of the tribal system, rehabilitation of displaced families and reconstruction of infrastructure are main challenges faced by the government.

Conflict in this mountainous part of Kurram Valley has left trail of destruction, and according to officials and tribesmen, militants had set on fire hamlet of houses in Masozai, Alisherzai and other areas. Over 30,000 families were displaced when troops launched campaign and many of them sought shelter in New Durrani Camp in lower Kurram.

Political agent Yousaf Rahim told media that according to preliminary survey around 2,400 houses had been destroyed in the area.

The administration and Fata Disaster Management Authority had started return process of the IDPs and 1,200 families had been rehabilitated in Mosazai, he said and added that relief agencies had provided temporary shelter, food and non-food items to returnees.

He said reconstruction of government infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, required about Rs717 million.

Mr Rahim said that with the assistance of donor agencies the FDMA and local administration would carry out damage need assessment survey of the area and the federal government would be asked to compensate affected people.

He said that civil administration was gradually making inroads in cleared areas where the paramilitary troops had made checkpoints.