October 29, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 16, 1428

KHAR/MIRAMSHAH, Oct 28: The local Taliban have announced to end peace talks with the political administration in protest against the Swat operation.

A Taliban spokesman, who did not reveal his name, told journalists by telephone that the group would not hold talks with the political administration in protest against the operation in Swat.

He said the Taliban would resume the talks after their demands were accepted. The Taliban, he added, would not hold any kind of talks with the jirga constituted by the political administration till the government called off the operation in Swat.

He said the Taliban had boycotted the Sunday session of the talks in protest against the operation.

In North Waziristan, armed volunteers of the Dawar tribe started night patrol in villages and on roads to protect government installations and thwart attacks on security forces as fresh troops arrived in the troubled region on Sunday, according to sources.

Local people said the main road remained closed for more than eight hours when a military convoy comprising some 40 vehicles started movement from its garrison in Bannu toward Miramshah, the agency headquarters. Helicopters were hovering ahead of the convoy. The Mirali bazaar also remained closed when the convoy was passing through the town.

In some areas, security forces fired aerial shots which caused panic. The military convoy reached its base in Miramshah safely.

A jirga of elders of the Dawar tribe held in Miramshah on Sunday resolved to restore peace to the area. Sources said a large number of elders could not reach the jirga venue because the main road was blocked.

The elders would again meet in Miramshah on Nov 1 to prepare future line of action regarding expulsion of foreign militants from the area. They said the armed volunteers would operate in the area to establish peace and ensure protection of security forces.

The jirga was told that significant decrease had been witnessed in attacks on troops and roadside explosions since the volunteers had started patrol in the area.

Militants had earlier asked tribesmen to review their policy regarding foreigners residing in the region. They had warned that any action against foreigners would not be tolerated and had blamed some pro-government elders for instigating people against “Mujahideen”.