September 01, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 29, 1429

LANDI KOTAL, Aug 31: Mangal Bagh and hundreds of his armed supporters vacated their newly set up bases in the Sheikhwal-Khyber area in Landi Kotal tehsil after an ultimatum given to him by the local administration expired on Sunday.

Security forces fired mortar shells on the residence of Haji Ayub Afridi where Mangal Bagh had been living.

An activist of Lashkar-i-Islam was killed and a security man was injured in a clash near Jamrud Fort on the main Peshawar-Torkham highway.

The clash took place when dozens of Lashkar activists in five vehicles refused to go through security checks carried out by the Khyber Rifles.

The Lashkar activist died in Jamrud hospital while the Khyber Rifle jawan was taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Security forces set up bunkers on the main road and hill tops overlooking Lashkar bases.

At least nine armed activists of the Lashkar were arrested in Jamrud when they tried to flee to Bara. Eight Kalashnikovs, 28 magazines, six hand-grenades, mobile phones, daggers and the vehicles were seized.

Earlier, announcements made by the administration urged Mangal Bagh and his armed men to leave the area.

The administration warned to Mangal Bagh that if he failed to leave the area by mid-day an operation would be launched against him.

The Lashkar activists had forced local people to hoist black flags on their houses and adhere to their so-called 30-point purification agenda.

Local residents tore up Lashkar flags and took out a huge procession to celebrate the retreat of Magal Bagh.

The authorities sealed a mosque near the Landi Kotal railway station and seized an illegal FM radio station.

The administration has issued arrest warrants for two controversial clerics Hazrat Nabi alias Tamanche Mula and Mufti Ezaj.

They were accused of inviting Mangal Bagh to Landi Kotal.

Security forces had earlier blocked the main Peshawar-Torkham highway for some time and imposed a curfew in Landi Kotal and Jamrud tehsils for about four hours.

The curfew was lifted and markets were reopened after Lashkar activists vacated their bases.

Landi Kotal’s Assistant Political Agent Tahab Khan said that the administration would not allow any militant group to operate in the area and warned of an army operation against anyone trying to take law into their hands.

Syed Irfan Raza adds from Islamabad: FC troops have established the writ of the government and forced Mangal Bagh to flee the area, according to an FC spokesman.

“After a day-long operation, all militants, including their commander, were forced by FC troops to leave the area,” the spokesman said.

The FC troops repulsed attack by the militants on the Jamrud Fort.

At least two militants were killed and injured in an exchange of fire.