LANDI KOTAL, March 12: Scores of tribal families have crossed over into Afghanistan owing to excessive artillery shelling by the security forces and aerial bombing in parts of Tirah valley of Khyber Agency, according to sources.

They said that the people, who were migrating to Afghanistan from Tirah, belonged to Sipah, Malikdinkhel, Akkakhel, Qambarkhel and Kukikhel areas of Khyber Agency.

Knowledgeable sources told Dawn that more than 100 families migrated to Kunar, Paktiya and Nangarhar provinces of Afghanistan a week ago.

The exodus was still continuing as many houses situated in Sipah, Malikdinkhel Kukikhel and Qambarkhel areas were destroyed by artillery shelling and aerial bombing, they added.

Qumandan Zakhakhel, a resident of Nangrosa area, told Dawn by telephone that the aerial bombing and artillery shelling also left several people dead including women and children.

However, his claim could not be verified through independent sources.

The sources close to banned outfit Lashkar-i-Islam in Bara also confirmed migration of scores of tribal families from Tirah to Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Air Force fighter planes have been conducting regular air strikes to target hideouts and bases of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkari-i-Islam in Tirah since the last week of January when Taliban launched an offensive against Ansaarul Islam, a pro-government armed group holding control of the strategic Bagh-Maidan valley in Tirah.

Sources said that security forces had been also shelling the positions of Lashkar-i-Islam in Sipah and surrounding areas for the last two weeks.

Taliban affiliated with Tariq Afridi group of Darra Adamkhel had captured the entire Kukikhel area in May last year while most parts of Sipah, Malikdinkhel, Akkakhel and Qambarkhel are under the control of Lashkar-i-Islam chief Mangal Bagh since 2009.

Sources said that it was for the first time during the last three and a half years that Mangal Bagh allowed families to move out of the areas of his influence and take shelter in comparatively safer places.

The migrating families had little choice to go elsewhere except to the bordering provinces of Afghanistan as all the routes leading to Mangal Bagh-controlled areas were either seized by their rival groups -- Tawheedul Islam and Ansaarul Islam while in some places the security forces established checkposts, sources said.

They said that the Zakhakhel dominated Tawheedul slam group was in effective control of the Mangal Bagh Kandao, situated on the border with Sipah area, and restricted the movement of Lashkar-i-Islam activists and their sympathisers.

Ansaarul Islam, sources said, was holding ground in areas that linked Tirah valley to Orakzai and Kurram agencies while the security forces were deployed at the Bara-Sheen Qamar Road and Nawy Qamar localities.

“The only opening available to Lashkar-i-Islam members and their sympathisers towards Afghanistan is the Kukikhel gorge, which is currently in the control of Taliban,” sources said.

They said that alongside Lashkar-i-Islam sympathisers, a number of Taliban families also crossed over into Afghanistan.

Qumandan Zakhakhel said that Lashkar-i-Islam chief Mangal Bagh himself issued order of migration and many of the families belonging to Speen Drand, Haft Dara, Dray Wandee, Abdulkhel and Kukikhel areas moved out of their houses.

“The vacant houses are now under the occupation of local Lashkar-i-Islam commanders, who have also established bunkers in some of these houses,” he said.

The local administrative officials, when contacted, did not comment on the migration of tribal people from Tirah to Afghanistan.