KHYBER: A tense calm prevailed in the Tirah Valley on Friday, mostly in the areas bordering the Orakzai district, after an intense exchange of fire took place between the security forces and armed militants on Thursday since a counterinsurgency operation was launched in the region on August 20.

Sources in the region told Dawn that though the exchange of fire and use of both artillery and gunship helicopters had temporarily stopped, residents were still scared, while the armed militants affiliated with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Islam and Jamatul Ahrar had vanished from the scene.

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The sources said the ground forces of the army had also retreated, though for the time being, from Tangi Payra, Mandawarr, Momandu Ghuz, Manglawar and Sairrai Kandaw areas, which remained a hotspot for intense gun battles between the security forces and terrorists, who had sneaked into the region a few weeks ago and had started armed patrolling of the region.

The local sources said the artillery shelling and aerial bombing also damaged some houses in these areas with a young girl losing her life when she was hit by an artillery fire while she was fetching water from a natural well in Momandu Ghuz area a few days ago.

Sources say operation was launched on Aug 20 after militants sneaked into region

They said the security forces released a local prayer leader in Tangi area after residents protested his arrest. The cleric hailed from Qambarkhel tribe and had settled in Tandi as a prayer leader.

Inter Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, is yet to release a statement about the prevailing situation in the region and on the progress of the operation against militants.

DELAY IN IDPS’ RETURN RESENTED: The Khyber chapter of Pakistan People’s Party has criticised the provincial government for failing to resolve the longstanding issue of return of remaining Kukikhel families to Tirah Valley.

Addressing a news conference at the Landi Kotal Press Club on Saturday, PPP leaders Shah Rehman, Gul Bahadar and Fatehur Rehman said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had a minister, an adviser and an MNA from the region, but they had failed to address the genuine grievances of the displaced Kukikhel families.

They alleged that provincial minister Adnan Qadri and adviser Suhail Afridi were yet to pay a visit to the protest camp or prevail upon the provincial government to devise a plan for the honourable and immediate return of the remaining families.

They said the ongoing road closure had hit the trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and caused shortage of essential commodities in Landi Kotal.

Meanwhile, leaders of the protesters vowed to continue with the road closure till their ‘legitimate’ demand was met.

A Kukikhel elder, Malak Naseer Ahmad accused the government of backtracking on its earlier plan of ensuring return of all the displaced families to their homes despite the fact that the Kukikhel-inhabited areas had been cleared of militants.

He said about 6,000 to 6,500 displaced families were yet to return to their homes.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2024