| Submit your comments on this article | |
| India-Pakistan | |
| Troops take on militants in Bara | |
| 2009-09-03 | |
| [The News (Pak) Top Stories] At least nine suspected militants were confirmed dead as security forces launched a massive operation in the Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency on Tuesday. The security forces and political administration, however, claimed killing 40 militants during the swoop, codenamed Bia Daraghlam (here I come again) launched in the aftermath of a spate of beheading in the lawless region. The operation conducted in the area in June last year was codenamed as Daraghlam (here I come). Locals said nearly 35 beheaded bodies were recovered from different areas of Bara over the past one month. The beheading had spread a wave of terror among residents, prompting the security officials to take action against the perpetrators. Briefing journalists about the operation, sector commander of security forces Brigadier Faiz and Political Agent of the Khyber Agency Tariq Hayat Khan said
The arrested militants were produced before the media along with the arms seized during search. The two officials said four hideouts of the militants had been destroyed during the operation. They said the ground forces were supported by military helicopters that targeted the hideouts of militants. The officials said the operation was not against a particular group or individual, but to purge the area of the miscreants. Asked about a similar operation in late June last year and its conclusion without any gains, the two officials said the current operation would continue till the restoration of peace and security in Bara. They said security forces were engaged in Swat last year, but enough force was available with the government to take the operation to its logical end this time. Locals said the banned Lashkar-e-Islam activists did not offer any resistance as the operation was launched this morning. They had already vacated their areas to take refuge in the nearby mountains. Sources said the Frontier Corps (FC) and Army troops were taking part in the operation. Troops started movement around 1am on Tuesday. They captured all important places of militants around 3am. The operation was launched at 6am by imposing curfew all over the Bara sub-division. Initially, the troops continued the search operation in Shalobar, Kamarkhel and Malak Dinkhel areas till the afternoon. However, tanks and troops were called to the Sipah area after an attack on security forces convoy in the afternoon and burning of a military vehicle by the miscreants. Independent sources confirmed the killing of nine suspected militants during the operation. Five among them were identified as Habibur Rahman, Arif, Wali Khan, Abdur Rahman and retired subedar Murad. Residents said security forces had captured the houses of key militant commanders in different areas. However, they retreated from the places after some time. Sources said the houses would be demolished with the help of earth moving machinery today (Wednesday). Nearly 35 people, mostly opponents of the outlawed LI, were killed in the area and their bullet-riddled and beheaded bodies were dumped on roadsides or uninhabited areas. No one would be allowed to remove the bodies till a time limit mentioned in the notes pinned to the bodies. A similar operation, codenamed Daraghlam (here I come) was launched in Bara on June 28 last year during which some houses of militants were demolished. However, the operation was halted without achieving any conspicuous results. Connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan at the busiest Torkham border crossing, Khyber Agency is rapidly becoming a lawless zone because of the increasing cases of kidnapping on the Peshawar-Torkham route. A suicide attack on a Khassadar (tribal police) checkpost on August 27 killed 21 Khassadars, who were preparing to open their daylong fast. Two days before the attack, an Afghan journalist Janullah Hashimzada was shot dead by unidentified armed men in the broad daylight in the Sur Kamar area of Jamrud sub-division. Kidnapping from Peshawar city has almost become a routine with its roots traced back to Bara and Jamrud areas of Khyber Agency. | |
| Posted by:Fred |