April 19, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 12, 1429

LANDI KOTAL, April 18: The Peshawar-Torkham highway was reopened on Friday after the warring Kukikhel tribesmen and Lashkar-i-Islam militants declared a ceasefire in the Takhta Baig area of Khyber Agency.

The two sides vacated their positions and life limped back to normality.

A large number of people who had moved out of the area because of five days of fierce clashes were seen returning to their homes.

The ceasefire agreement requires the Kukikhel tribe to stop all illegal and unlawful business activities in their area and the Lashkar men to return to their stronghold in Bara tehsil.

Sources said that Khasadar force personnel who had stopped performing their duty after a warning by the Lashkar-i-Islam returned to their posts.

They said the Lashkar had asked the political administration not to penalise the Khasadars who had not reported to duty.

Meanwhile, a line officer and 12 Khasadars who were kidnapped from Sam Baba two days ago have been released unconditionally.