QUETTA, Jan 15: The Frontier Corps troops have taken positions at hilltops in the surroundings of Sui Township, establishing pickets to provide security to the purification plant and other installations.

Reports reaching here on Saturday said more FC troops sent from Quetta joined the personnel of Bhamboor Rifle, a wing of the FC already posted in Sui. However, despite a formal request by the provincial government regular army troops had not entered Sui, so far.

"Army has not yet entered the territory of Dera Bugti district," a senior officer of the district told Dawn by phone. He confirmed that only the FC troops had been deployed in and around the township.

He said the FC personnel had not yet formally started the search operation in Sui. "The FC men are just keeping a vigil over the area from where rockets and mortar shells had been fired during the five-day fighting in Sui," he added.

However, other sources claimed that the FC men searched some houses in different colonies and questioned the residents. Meanwhile, the situation was improving in the township as a large number of people who had left the area during the clashes had returned back.

All bazaars and shops had been opened, though security was very tight in and around Sui. Fresh consignment of food items started reaching the township from other areas. "Normalcy is returning but situation is still very tense in the township," a resident of Sui town told Dawn when contacted by phone.

Gas supply could not be resumed despite the passage of four days. But the engineers and other concerned staff were busy in repairing the damaged installations.