PESHAWAR: The Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the armed forces, has claimed to have achieved major success in the operation against militants in North Waziristan.

It said in a statement on Sunday that a large part of the tribal agency has been cleared of insurgents, including the areas considered to be strongholds of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other militant organisations.

According to the ISPR, security forces have conducted house-to-house searches in Mirali and adjoining villages and cleared up to 70 per cent of the area.

Miramshah, Boya and Degan have already been cleansed of terrorists.

The operation was launched on June 18 and has resulted in displacement of around 52,000 families, who have been registered in Bannu and other places. They are living in camps, with relatives or in rented houses.

Initially, about 92,000 families were registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs) but the number was revised down after verification by the National Database and Registration Authority.

The ISPR claimed that security forces had found two “ammunition factories” with large stockpiles of explosive material. They also found 30 barrels filled with explosives and chemicals used for manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in two large tunnels in Mirali town, the second largest bastion of militants.

The military also claimed to have seized a large IED, weighing 5,000kg, in Boya. It was defused by a special team of army engineers. When detonated, it shook the entire agency and the explosion was heard even in the settled area.

The ISPR statement said 570 suspected “terrorists” and 34 security personnel had been killed since the launching of Zarb-i-Azb. In addition, 98 hideouts and 30 IED factories, three ammunition factories and several centres for training suicide bombers have been destroyed.

But, the claim about the killing of militants could not be verified from independent sources because the media has no access to the area.

There are unconfirmed reports that the operation has also caused large-scale “collateral damage” in the conflict-hit area.

Huge caches of arms, communication equipment and propaganda literature had also been found, the ISPR said.

RELIEF WORK: Meanwhile, distribution of relief goods among the IDPs continues in Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank districts. About 152,000 packages of foodstuff, each weighing 110kg, have been distributed so far.

Besides, 53,000 Eid packs have already been given to the IDPs and the distribution is continuing.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014