A SERIES of events has shaken residents in the already restive Tirah Valley in recent days. On Saturday, a minor girl was reportedly killed in the valley when a mortar shell struck her house and exploded, prompting locals to gather in protest in the Bagh-Maidan Markaz. The anger was palpable. It may be recalled that just a few days prior to that incident, two other children had also been killed by a stray mortar while on their way to their seminary in the Raghzai village of Tank. There had been multiple deaths or injuries involving children in Tirah over the preceding months that were reportedly tied to the ongoing clashes between security forces and militants. Locals, already uncomfortable with the planned security operations in the area, were tense. Chaos quickly unfolded. As the crowd turned into a mob, with protesters vandalising property and causing damage around the FC compound, shots were fired at it. The state blamed the militants — the prime minister was even quoted as saying that “the heinous intentions of terrorists cannot shake our resolve”, but locals took a different view.

It was clear something was amiss when the commandant of the local security forces promised an inquiry into the incident and strict action against those responsible. He also notified local tribal elders that the person responsible for the mortar that killed the child had been identified and punished. The federal authorities agreed to pay compensation to the families of the injured or slain. The KP government announced separate compensation packages for those affected. There is no doubt that the incident is deeply regretted, but it also highlights how difficult the situation is. No interest is aligned. The locals have addressed their protest directly to militants and demanded that they leave Tirah post-haste. Meanwhile, the security forces have been given the impossible task of weeding out terrorists from an area that remains occupied by civilians. Lastly, civilian leaders have been unable to secure public consent for security operations, which are expected to entail widespread displacement. There is an urgent need for all stakeholders to agree on a common plan for eradicating terrorism that minimises the harm to civilians. This should not be allowed to turn into a three-way conflict between terrorists, civilians and security forces.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2025