A tribal lashkar forced Taliban out of Malagori area near Jamrud in Khyber Agency, officials said. Tension had increased between the Taliban and the residents at Malagori during recent days, the officials said. The residents had formed a 3,000-strong armed group to drive the Taliban out, the officials said. On Thursday, Taliban vacated the area to avoid clashes with the lashkar. Subsequently, the lashkar torched Taliban bases and centres in Tortopay and Zag Gujjar Dand areas. A source also confirmed that on one occasion there was an exchange of fire between Taliban and the Malagori lashkar. A Taliban was injured, while two others were detained and four vehicles were taken into custody.
The lashkar said any person giving shelter to Taliban would be fined Rs one million.
A spokesman for the lashkar told reporters that around 150 Taliban had fled the area.
Abduction: Meanwhile, suspected Taliban killed one person and abducted another from a mosque in Khyber Agency on Thursday. The armed men attacked Jamia Azizia mosque in the Sheikhwal area. The mosque is built on land owned by MNA Noorul Haq Qadri and Senator Abdul Malik Qadri. Roz Khan, who had dedicated the land for the mosque, was killed and a cleric was abducted in the attack. Witnesses said the Taliban sprayed the sides of the mosque with bullets. They kept firing for a long time but the administration did not take immediate action by blocking roads and erecting checkpoints to intercept the criminals, a resident said.
Threats: Separately, the Government Girls School and College in Jamrud received threatening letters from the Taliban on Thursday. The letters warned girl students not to attend school and asked the parents not to send their daughters to college, threatening them of dire consequences otherwise.
School sources said that the letters were found when the school opened on Thursday.