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| India-Pakistan |
| Swat jirga, Mullah Fazlullah, in negotiations |
| 2008-11-17 |
| Kanju Amn Jirga members and Taliban have given signs of a breakthrough towards the signing of another peace accord in the Swat Valley after the Sunday's talks between the Jirga and Maulana Fazlullah, chief of Swat chapter of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Amn Jirga, which has been making efforts to convince the warring parties to stop fighting, held talks with Fazlullah after meeting ministers representing the NWFP government in Peshawar a few days ago. The Jirga has already brokered a deal in the Koza Bandai village of the restive valley, causing the Taliban to leave the area and declare it a conflict-free zone although the militants reportedly returned later. In their two-day talks, the Jirga members demanded of Fazlullah to announce ceasefire. Sources said the militants handed the Jirga their demands in exchange for halting their activities. Swat Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan confirmed the handover of a demand-list to the Jirga and was also optimistic about the outcome of talks. "We have given our demands to the Jirga and there are signs of a breakthrough in the talks," he said. Expressing similar optimism, the Jirga members said they would meet military officials today (Monday) to present the demands of the militants. Meanwhile, the insurgents picked up three security forces' personnel from Ningolai and Shakardara areas of the Kabal Tehsil and burnt a music shop in the Mingora city. |
| Posted by:Fred |