October 20, 2008	Monday	Shawwal 20, 1429

KOHAT, Oct 19: Four out of 18 tribes have banned the activities of the Taliban in Orakzai Agency following an assurance by the government that the ongoing military operation in the tribal region would be suspended.

According to sources, the Alikhel, Mullahkhel, Mishti and Sheikhan tribes of Tirah asked the militants to leave the area.

The expelled Taliban, however, had taken refuge with their companions in the Mamozai area, where they had their headquarters, which forced the government to send gunship helicopters to pound the hideouts last week. Two women were injured in the air strikes whereas security forces had claimed to have killed 27 militants.

Later, the elders of the Mamozai tribe reportedly held a clandestine meeting with Political Agent Kamran Zeb and assured him that they would not allow the militants to use their soil for terrorist activities. However, attacks in their area should be stopped.

The sources said that the tribal elders of Mamozai held a jirga at a secret place on Sunday, third during one week, to chalk out a strategy to ask the militants to vacate their base as soon as possible. The elders had allowed them to stay in the area purely on ‘humanitarian’ basis after getting guarantee that they would remain peaceful.

The jirga, attended by senior members of the tribe Taj Malik and Mir Asghar, was holding deliberations to send a committee to the Taliban to ask them to leave the area and wait for their response.