Hafiz Gul Bahadur group extends ceasefire to June 20

Published June 9, 2014
The Taliban group had warned NWA tribesmen to flee the area by June 10 and also to take up arms against the security forces. – File Photo
The Taliban group had warned NWA tribesmen to flee the area by June 10 and also to take up arms against the security forces. – File Photo

PESHAWAR: The North Wazristan Taliban Shura led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur has extended the ceasefire till June 20 and also assured the government to carry out probe into the Boya checkpost suicide blast which left at least three FC soldiers and a child dead earlier on Monday.

Ahmedullah Ahmedi, the spokesman of North Waziristan Taliban in a statement issued to the media said that after a meeting with the grand jirga of North Wazristan, the shura has decided to extend the ceasefire deadline by ten days.

Following massive airstrikes by Pakistani jet fighters that killed at least 60 militants in North Waziristan last month, Taliban commanders met to reconsider a non-aggression treaty with the government. The Taliban group later warned the tribesmen to flee the area by June 10 and also warned to take up arms against the Pakistani security forces.

The spokesman also condemned the attack on Boya checkpost on Monday and said the Taliban Shura would probe into the incident and take action against the culprits.

Ahmedi further said that the Taliban shura would have more sittings with the jirga during this period to resolve the issue.

The statement came days after tribal elders from North Waziristan were asked by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Khalid Rabbani to oust foreign militants from their area.

The jirga was led by Utmanzai Wazir and Dawar tribal elders – the two main tribes that inhabit North Waziristan – and Haji Sher Mohammad Khan, a descendent of the famous anti-colonial rebel Faqir of Ipi.

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