ISLAMABAD: The army has claimed to have cleared the Suran sector in Mohmand Agency of militants and initiated the consolidation phase of ‘Operation Brekhna’ even as skirmishes continued.

“Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Mohmand Agency today. His visit coincides with successful beginning of phase-2 of Operation Brekhna launched to clear Suran sector adjoining Afghanistan border. Earlier the army had successfully cleared Dawezai area, eliminating terrorists’ influence,” a statement issued by ISPR on Thursday said.

Counter-insurgency (coin) operations are divided into four stages -- clear, hold, build and transfer. The ‘hold’ and ‘build’ stages are considered critical for the success of an operation.

Operation Brekhna was launched in January but was kept under wraps till it caught public attention because of the latest White House semi-annual Af-Pak report which referred to it as an indication of Pakistan military’s inability to hold and build areas cleared of militants.

The operation involved some 6,000 regular and paramilitary troops of whom 18 were killed and 28 injured.

“The operation to clear Mohmand was launched under strong demand of local population and political administration of the area who were constantly being subjected to terrorists’ atrocities, including suicide bombings, target killing of tribal maliks, kidnappings for ransom and extortion,” ISPR said.

The operation was initially planned to be completed in weeks, but continued for almost four months because of underrated militant resistance, recovery of a large amount of weapons and explosives, about 50,000 displaced people and inclement weather.

Some analysts have expressed fear that the military commanders might have rushed to the phase 2 in view of intense US criticism of the operation.

It was the third time in two years that the army had to conduct a large-scale clearing operation in Mohmand Agency.

But the army disputed the claim and said the areas where Operation Brekhna was conducted had been left out in previous operations.

The White House report had noted that “while phase 1 of Operation Brekhna had cleared some areas, the operation has yet to proceed to critical hold and build phases”.