July 01, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 30: The Ministry of Interior said on Monday that the operation launched in the Khyber Agency would continue till its objectives were achieved. It also announced a ban on three groups operating in the region for their involvement in criminal activities.

“Lashkar-i-lslam of Mangal Bagh, Ansar-ul-lslam of Mahboob-ul-Haque and the Haji Namdar group have been banned under the Anti-Terrorist Act and a notification to this effect has been issued,” sources at the interior ministry said on Monday.

The sources said the operation had the support of local tribes and it was achieving positive results.

“The operation is being conducted with full ownership of the civil government and with full support of local tribes, respecting their sensitivities and redressing their insecurity, just to re-establish the writ of the government,” the sources said.

“The operation is also progressing well and the basic purpose has been achieved with minimum collateral damage,” the sources said, reaffirming that the operation would continue till desired objectives were achieved.

The sources referred to certain achievements like demolition of hideouts of terrorists, recovery of ammunition and arrest of criminals under the operation code-named Sirat-i-Mustaqeem.Giving details of the objective achieved so far, the sources mentioned the capture of Gandao, an important den of Mangal Bagh and his supporters, and demolition of Mangal Bagh Headquarters (Lashkar-i-lslam) and Shalober Centre.

The first day of the operation saw demolition of Afridi Centre, a private jail. On Sunday, the forces demolished Mehboob headquarters, the stronghold of Ansar-ul-lslam, Akka Khel Centre, Misri Centre, Pir House, Mufti Munir Shakir Centre and Tayyab Centre. An FM radio station was also destroyed.

Giving details of casualties, the sources said that one criminal was killed in an exchange of fire and another was injured and one was arrested.

Two SMGs, an FM transmitter, 75 bags of wheat flour and one power generator were seized.

Security forces also discovered a private jail consisting of eight cells where people kidnapped for ransom used to be kept. Certain documents and receipts were also found, showing capture and release of detainees.

Justifying the operation, the sources said that Bara area had become a sanctuary for all sorts of criminals and terrorists, paralysing civil administration with no writ of the government as the local population was threatened and forced at gun-point to support the criminal groups.

Mangal Bagh, Haji Namdar and Mehboob-ul-Haque lead the main groups operating in Bara. Mangal Bagh is at present engaged in fighting with Ansar-ul-lslam group in Tirah valley.

On June 21, the sources said, the Mangal Bagh group had kidnapped 17 Christians from a settled area of Pishtakhara.—APP