DARRA ADAMKHEL, Feb 13: A new militant outfit called Al Hizb has emerged in the Darra Adamkhel frontier region with the aim of eliminating commanders of other militant groups in the semi-autonomous area.
It distributed pamphlets in the main Darra bazaar which said that six militant commanders who had set up a parallel administration in the region were liable to death.
One of the pamphlets said: “Militant commanders including Tariq Afridi, Arif, Ilyas, Gul Ahmad Sakhi and Payo will be eliminated soon. They have caused a lot of sufferings to women and children. People were forced to leave their homes. They are unpardonable.”
The pamphlets caused panic in the troubled town.
“The mission of Al Hizb is to eliminate crime and militancy,” the group claimed.
The army launched operation in the area last month after militants had captured five trucks carrying weapons and ammunition.
Over 23 security personnel were killed in the week-long operation in which tanks and helicopter gunships were also used.
Al Hizb declared 10 tribesmen as ‘agents of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)’ and warned them against cooperating with intelligence agencies and security forces.
The group said its activists were monitoring movement of security forces in the area and if troops committed atrocities they would face suicide attacks.
Security forces, meanwhile, blew up houses of four militants in the Zarghunkhel area, defused rockets and seized weapons on Wednesday.
A search operation was also carried out in different areas of Darra, but no one was arrested.
Several missiles found near an under-construction building of a degree college were defused. Militants had converted the building into their headquarters.
An official said that the authorities had asked the people of Zarghunkhel to hand over militants who had captured a checkpost and killed 23 soldiers.
Elders of the area have been asked to hand over weapons looted from five trucks going to South Waziristan.
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