LANDI KOTAL, March 22: Two important centres of a militant organisation were demolished as the military operation in Bara continued for a second day on Sunday, it is learnt.

Security forces moved into Qambarkhel area and destroyed two bases of the Amar Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir organisation. The operation continued for nearly four hours in which two helicopter gunships were used. Officials said the bases were empty when they were hit.

The Bara Peace Committee described the operation as a violation of an agreement reached with the political administration.

Peace committee leader Haji Amal Gul, whose house was demolished in Saturday’s shelling, said those arrested during the operation were innocent and not involved in any criminal activity. He called for an immediate halt to the operation and release of all prisoners.

Haji Gul claimed that the Bara operation had been launched to appease the CIA chief who had arrived in Pakistan on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed responsibility for Thursday’s rocket attack on an army camp in Landi Kotal.

They said that 13 security personnel had been killed in the attack, but local authorities rejected the Taliban claim.

The traders’ association of Landi Kotal bazaar, meanwhile, demanded compensation for the losses incurred by its members in the rocket attack.

The Tribal Union of Journalists, Khyber Agency, also condemned the attack in which the local office of a private TV channel was destroyed.

AFGHANS KIDNAPPED: Gunmen abducted three Afghan nationals travelling in a taxi near Ziarai Chowk on the Peshawar-Torkham road in Landi Kotal tehsil on Sunday. Witnesses said the kidnappers abandoned the taxi and took away the three captives.
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