MIRAMSHAH, July 18: The Pakistan army and paramilitary troops conducted a seven-hour search operation against foreign and tribal militants in Qutabkhel village, 5km south of Miramshah, on Monday, sources told Dawn. However, Senator Mateen Shah, MNA Maulvi Nek Zaman and some religious leaders of North Waziristan Agency protested against the military operation in the tribal region adjacent to Afghanistan and announced protest demonstration for Wednesday.

The search operation started at 11am and continued till 6pm. But the Pakistan army, paramilitary troops, Khasadar Force and tribal and religious leaders of the volatile tribal region could not find any militant or seize any weapon from seven mud-houses, which were searched in Qutab village, the sources added.

Senator Mateen Shah, MNA Maulvi Nek Zaman and some religious leaders affiliated to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) returned to Miramshah at about 1pm in protest against the operation.

Maulvi Abdur Rehman, the general-secretary of JUI-F North Waziristan Agency, later announced staging a protest demonstration on Wednesday in Miramshah against the operation.

Sources said that troops had blocked the Bannu-Miramshah road for traffic since morning, causing hardship to tribesmen.

Peshawar Bureau adds: Seventeen people who were killed during the military operation in Miramshah two days ago, were buried late on Sunday night under official security.

Sources said that among the 17 persons killed by the Pakistan army, two were young men, five women and 10 children — six boys and four girls.

AFP adds: Military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said on Monday that the 17 militants gunned down near the Afghan border were all from Kazakhstan and included women and teenage youths.

“We now believe the entire group was from Kazakhstan,” he told AFP.

He said the authorities recovered four passports and some documents and identity cards which indicated they were Kazakhs.

Troops acting on a tip-off cordoned off a hideout in an isolated complex outside Miranshah.

The 17, including women and teenagers, were killed as they tried to break the siege and flee the compound in two vehicles after a shoot-out, Sultan said. One vehicle was knocked out and the other was crippled.

The general said the group included women and youths aged under 20, who also took part in the fighting.

“These guys were all trained fighters,” the general said, adding that women and young people received training in explosives.

He said local officials and elders had tried for more than two hours to persuade the group to surrender but a gun battle erupted when they tried to escape in their vehicles.

The women hurled grenades when security forces stopped them, Sultan said. Sixteen locals who had helped the group were arrested.