KHYBER: Fresh contingents of army personnel duly aided by gunship helicopters occupied key positions in parts of Tirah valley, where terrorists affiliated with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Islam and Hafiz Gul Bahadar group had reportedly established their bases.

Local sources told Dawn that security forces in large numbers were seen patrolling Peer Mela and Bagh Maidan areas since Saturday with a maximum number of soldiers descending into the valley from Dars area of Akkakhel.

They said a curfew like situation was prevailing in the valley as local markets and schools were shut down while roads were wearing a deserted look and local inhabitants remained inside their houses.

They said that though no large-scale operation was started yet, they heard intense firing in the air upon the arrival of security forces at Peer Mela and Maidan areas.

It was also learnt that an elderly resident in Donga area of Shalobar died of a bullet injury with his dead body lying inside his house as residents were not allowed to bury him in the graveyard. It could not be immediately established as to who fired the shot which caused his death.

Local sources also reported injuries to two persons in a drone strike in Peer Mela area.

They said that security forces were actively seen in previous strongholds of Warsak and Donga in Shalobar, Peer Mela and Momandu Ghuz in Zakhakhel and entire Bagh Maidan regions.

TTP and it’s local affiliate Lashkar-i-Islam had in recent past started patrolling these areas while also forcing local drug dealers to pay them so-called Islamic tax (ushar) from their income on sale of hashish and heroin.

They had also established parallel courts while inviting local residents to bring before them local issues and disputes for speedy resolution.

Security officials had a few days back sought help from the local tribal elders in tracking down terrorists and also temporarily vacate their houses, if needed, during possible military operations.

The local elders however refused to vacate their houses, owing to harsh cold weather while at the same time pledging to remain neutral during the operations and desisting from extending any help to suspect terrorists.

Local residents said that armed terrorists had not yet put up any resistance and they also had vanished from the areas where they used to conduct regular patrolling and later sharing their videos on the social media.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2024