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JUI-F jirga fails to end fighting between LI and AI in Tirah
A grand jirga of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has failed to come up with a final decision to end fighting between two militant organisations in Khyber Agency. The 56-member jirga met here on Thursday to discuss its meetings with the chiefs of Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and Ansarul Islam (AI) and to announce its decision regarding an end to fighting in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. The meeting, however, merely set another date for further negotiations. More than 50 people have been killed in fighting between the LI and AI in the past month. Another round: JUI-F provincial secretary general and head of the jirga Shujaul Mulk told reporters after the meeting that another jirga would be convened in Khyber Agency on July 22 to discuss an end to fighting and the restoration of peace. Mulk said that they would launch a decisive round of talks with both militant outfits and the negotiations would continue until a ceasefire was achieved between the warring sides. He said three members each from LI and AI and five members from the JUI-F would participate in the July 22 talks. The JUI-F jirga met LI chief Mangal Bagh and his AI counterpart Mullah Mehboob in Tirah last week. Mulk said that they had also decided to constitute a three-member committee to discuss peace in Mohmand Agency. The members included Mullah Samiullah, Mullah Mohabbat Khan and Mullah Sardar Ahmad. Posted by: Fred 2008-07-18 |
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