PARACHINAR: Security forces started deploying in battle-scarred regions of Kurram Agency on Wednesday as the warring factions agreed to stop fighting, bringing relief to a populace reeling from the violence that broke out a fortnight ago.

The political administration finally succeeded in bringing Toori and Bangash clans to the negotiating table.

As soon as an understanding about the ceasefire was reached, security forces were called out in Khwar Kaley, Blishkhel and Lakeysar. Troops will deploy in more affected places on Thursday.

Ferocious fighting preceded the truce, leaving 26 militants and six tribesmen dead as a lashkar confronted the Taliban. A key militant commander was among the dead, sources said.

The intensifying battles prompted the tribesmen to seek the army’s help. (According to AP news agency, Sajid Hussain Toori, a lawmaker from Kurram, said: ‘The lashkar is facing these armed Taliban, but we request that the government send troops to Kurram to fight the Taliban as quickly as possible.’)

According to sources and local people, hundreds of volunteers of the lashkar attacked suspected locations of militants in Mangak Tangi area in the morning and killed 26 militants, including the key commander. The two sides attacked each other’s positions with missiles, rockets and mortars.

Sporadic clashes between the Toori and Bangash clans took place in Mangak Tangi, Kochi, Mekhzai, Baleshkhel and Khar Kalley (in lower Kurram), Karai and Kirman (in upper Kurram) and Para Chamkani (in central Kurram).

Toori tribesmen said they had raised the lashkar to resist the movement of militants who, they alleged, after consolidating their positions and setting up bunkers wanted to capture lower Kurram. The fresh clashes erupted after some miscreants attacked a security post in Baleshkhel area 16 days ago.

So far 152 people, a majority of them militants, have been killed and over 200 injured in the fighting.

Kurram is an important location from where militants easily cross into Afghanistan for carrying out attacks on Nato forces. The Taliban move into Kurram from Swat, Bajaur and Waziristan.

All educational institutions and government offices in Kurram have been closed for the past four days and the entire region is without electricity. Power transmission lines have been badly damaged by the crossfire.

The closure of Peshawar-Parachinar road has forced people to take a detour via Kabul to reach Peshawar. The circuitous route consumes two days for the journey. The road is under the control of militants.