KHYBER: A curfew-like situation prevailed in Tirah valley here for the second day on Monday as the security forces asked residents to stay inside their houses, while the army fortified its positions in various localities.

Sources in Warsak and Peer Mela areas told Dawn that security personnel evicted some residents from their houses on Sunday night and established posts there.

They added that though there was no fight between security forces and suspected terrorists, some houses were targeted with mortar shells injuring at least one resident in Shalobar area.

Sources said that security personnel in Serrai Kandaw did not allow relatives to take the injured to a nearby medical facility.

Security forces ask residents to stay indoors

They said that they also saw gunship helicopters and large-size drones in the air on Sunday evening but no air strikes were carried out.

Sources said that announcements were made in local mosques while asking local residents to stay inside their houses prevent collateral damage.

They also said that while Peer Mela market and schools in Zakhakhel and Shalobar areas were closed on Monday, the valley’s main business centre in Lar Bagh Markaz in Malakdinkhel remained open during the daytime.

Local sources also rejected rumours about any fresh displacement of families during the last two days and insisted that no such activity had so far taken place, while the security forces, too, had not yet asked them to vacate their houses.

They, however, insisted that the situation remained tense with fear gripping residents about a possible large-scale military operation.

The sources said that military operations had so far incurred losses to residents as their houses and shops were hit by mortar shells and a number of them either lost lives or suffered injuries.

They added that though no fighting between security forces and terrorists had been seen, residents were wary of a possible fierce gunfight in the days ahead as the army had intensified patrolling in most parts of the valley.

Meanwhile, the Bara Siyasi Ittehad on Monday rejected the Balahisar Fort Jirga and warned it would block the road leading to Tirah at Sheen Qamar if the “military operation” in the valley was not stopped immediately.

Addressing a news conference at Bara Press Club, BSI president Haji Sherin demanded that the federal and provincial governments explain the “framework of military operation” in Tirah valley while taking the local elders and political leadership into confidence about it.

He insisted that military operations have always impacted local population and inflicted on them monetary and human losses while the terrorists were still roaming in the area forcing them to desert their houses.

Mr Sherin offered to mediate between the government and terrorist groups and said BSI would play a positive role for the restoration of peace in the region.

He warned the Tirah Road would be blocked and military convoys would be stopped from proceeding to Tirah if they were not taken into confidence. He urged the government to fulfil its promise of restoring peace in the region.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2024