LANDI KOTAL: The restive subdivision of Bara in Khyber Agency has been cleared of all militant groups and that the writ of the government has been established in the region, security officials said.

Operation Khyber One chief Brigadier Zahid Khan told reporters at a levies centre in Shah Kas that 17 soldiers died and 38 suffered injuries during the military offensive, which began on October 16 last year.

He said over 100 suspected militants were killed during the ground attacks conducted in different parts of Bara during the operation.

Over 100 suspected militants killed, 17 soldiers died in Operation Khyber One

“Security forces seized over 40,000kg drugs along with over 300 heavy and light weapons during the operation,” he said.

Brigadier Zahid said prior to the start of the military operation, Bara had become a centre of contraband trade, while various armed groups had established their hideouts in the region in order to orchestrate and carry out terrorist activities in different parts of the country.

“The strategy for the operation was made at the Frontier Corps headquarters with the aim to wipe out all proscribed groups from Bara in three phases,” he said, adding that Nala-Malikdinkhel, Shalobar and Akkakhel were cleared of militants in the three phases of the operation.

The operation commander said security forces plugged all traditional routes used by militants while putting up resistance against security forces prior to the start of operation.

He said due to the effective strategy, security forces forced militants to flee their strongholds and bases in Bara.

“Militants carried out a number of counterattacks against security forces in desperation but all those attacks were successfully repulsed by the forces and thus, causing them heavy casualties,” he said.

He said in one offensive, militants left behind bodies of at least 35 colleagues after they were confronted with a crushing reply by the forces.

Brigadier Zahid said as many as 500 terrorists affiliated with different banned terrorist groups had surrendered to the security forces and that they were given skill development training in three de-radicalisation centres in Bara during the military operation.

He said all militant groups and so-called peace groups had effectively been wiped out of Bara and that no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government or establish parallel administration.

Brigadier Zahid said modern training was imparted to both levies and khasadar personnel and that the political administration would be given the administrative responsibilities of Bara subdivision as soon as the capacity of the tribal force was built.

ARMS SURRENDERED: The Kukikhel tribe in Jamrud on Tuesday handed over a large quantity of heavy weapons to the political administration.

The relevant local officials said Kukikhel tribesmen had purchased the Russian-made weapons during the Afghan war and stockpiled them in their houses.

“The tribesmen used these weapons against rivals during tribal and family feuds,” an official said.

He said some tribesmen had concealed weapons in trenches and that the administration was in contact with them to seek their voluntary surrender.

Another security official said the surrendered weapons were in good condition and could be used against anti-state elements during Fata military operations.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2015

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