Pakistan on Saturday released 78 Pakistani and Afghan tribesmen arrested during a recent counterterrorism operation near the Afghan border and extended a deadline for suspected fugitives to surrender. Local official Hamayun Khan said the 78 men had been freed by the army in the northwestern city of Peshawar after investigators declared them innocent, allowing them to return to their homes in South Waziristan.
| Pure as the driven snow, they were! |
In all, 141 of the 163 Pakistani and foreign suspects captured during the March 16-18 operation in the region have been released. The operation, which left more than 120 people dead, ended when tribal elders sought time to weasel out of negotiate a deal between local militants and the army. A week ago, five powerful tribesmen accused of harboring al-Qaida men accepted an amnesty offer, promising to live peacefully and not help foreign terrorists. As part of the deal, the army promised to release all prisoners proved innocent. It has not identified any of the detainees, but none are believed to be senior al-Qaida or Taliban figures.
"Hokay, Mahmoud, answer this: are you a member of al-Qaeda or the Taliban?"
"No!"
"Hokay, good enough for me! You can go." |
The regional army chief set April 30 as a deadline for the hundreds of foreign militants who had escaped arrest to surrender, saying that if they pledged to stay out of trouble, and were vouched for by the local tribe, they would be allowed to stay in South Waziristan.
| Which is what South Wazairistan deserves. |
The interior minister has said the amnesty is open to all foreigners there except Taliban and al-Qaida leaders. By Friday, no foreigners had come forward, raising fears of renewed bloodshed. On Saturday, however, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said authorities had agreed to a weeklong extension in the amnesty offer. He said local tribal elders had approached the government, seeking more time to convince foreigners to lay down arms and register themselves with the authorities. Not all the foreigners in South Waziristan are terror suspects. Many are Afghan refugees. Others are Central Asian and Arab veterans of the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s who settled in Pakistan, often marrying into local families. Foreign militants have not been seen in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, since the operation ended. Officials say the rebels have moved to caves near the border with Afghanistan with light and heavy weapons.
| They're just simple homesteaders with AK's and mortars. |
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