LANDI KOTAL: The security forces on Saturday arrested more than 40 suspected militants in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency during a search operation conducted in collaboration with the local political administration.

The exercise was conducted in light of the growing incidence of targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and bomb blasts in the region, said an official in the know.

According to the official, the administration used loudspeakers of mosques to ask the people to stay indoors before the forces imposed curfew in the tehsil for the house-to-house search in Sur Kamar, Nawayabad, Gharreeza, Gudar and Ghundi areas.

All entry and exit points of Jamrud were plugged, while the Peshawar-Torkham Highway was sealed for traffic. The operation lasted for around nine hours.

Early in the morning, security officials announced the curfew would be in effect until 5pm.

Official says crackdown planned due to high incidence of targeted killings, kidnappings

However, they lifted it at around 1pm after ‘achieving the search operation’s objectives’ as put by a security official.

Another administration official said security forces took them on board about the operation and that the Khasadar and levies personnel collaborated with the forces during the exercise.

He said more than 40 suspected militants were taken into custody for interrogation.

The official said the forces faced no resistance during the operation and the situation remained under control by and large.

He said arms, ammunitions and three vehicles allegedly used by militants were seized.

Local residents said security personnel were deployed in the area at around midnight and that they used ladders to scale the walls of some houses, where suspected militants were believed to be hiding.

They said hundreds of people had left Jamrud for Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Islamabad and other safer cities due to the growing militant activities in the region, especially in the wake of death threats over refusal to pay extortion money.

Local JUI-F leader Kabeer told Dawn that the people in the tehsil lived under constant threat of action by ‘unidentified armed men’.

He said many had already left the area for safer places as the administration had miserably failed to ensure protection of their life.

The JUI-F leader said the armed men flouted the ban on motorcycle riding with impunity for targeted killings, kidnappings and attacks on forces.

Kukikhel elder Malik Fazlullah Jan said he was hopeful that the forces would clear Jamrud of all ‘undesirable elements’ during the operation, which was supported by local residents.

Peace volunteer killed

A member of the Shalobar peace committee was killed in a roadside bomb blast in Qambarabad area of Bara tehsil on Saturday.

Local officials said unidentified people blew up an explosive device planted along the road when the committee members patrolled the area.

They said the blast left a peace volunteer dead instantly.

There followed a search operation by security forces in TD Bazaar, Sur Kamar, Nawayabad, Gudar, Lashurra, Patay Owba, Gatto Ghar, Madathu Kuta, Spelano Kas, Gul Rehman Kalay, Bakarabad, Malakabad, Gharreeza, Pump House, Sakhi Pul and Ghundi areas.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014