KHYBER: Fear and anxiety have gripped the residents of Tirah valley here as the 21 civilian killings in Shadalay village on Sept 22, mostly from one family, leave an indelible mark on their minds.

Conflicting information emanated from different quarters about the incident, with official sources insisting that a terrorist hideout was targeted, but the provincial chief minister declaring all the deceased “martyrs.”

Residents said they’re in a state of utter disbelief as Shadalay meadows remained peaceful since the displaced families returned to their homes in 2015, with most of its limited number of dwellers depending on agriculture and livestock farming for livelihood.

Sources in the area near the border with Orakzai told Dawn that most of the fear-stricken families had shifted to safer places as they, too, were still groping in the dark about the occurrence of the Sept 22 incident.

Terrified families from Shadalay village move to safety

Putting up a brave face and exhibiting ‘iron’ nerves, Haji Khiyal Akbar Meergatkhel, the head of a family which lost 18 members in the incident, shared the ordeal with elders of Bara.

He said in a firm voice that the compensation announced by the provincial government carried no meaning for him as he had no one left in the family to care about except one of his grandchildren who survived the bloody incident along with him as they were away from their house at that particular time.

“One of my daughters-in-law remained issueless for over 20 years but gave birth to a boy recently. Both of them were killed in the incident, with the baby clinging to her mother. The two were buried in one grave,” he said.

Mr Meergatkhel said one of his nephews and his minor daughter lost their lives in a similar way before they’re buried together.

“People of Tirah had long been clamouring for peace and safety of their lives as they returned to their homes around nine years ago hoping that they would never confront the monster of terrorism and would not become victims of collateral damage in the name of military operations,” he said.

However, the region’s security is still a far cry as people in different parts of Tirah with whom Dawn interacted after the Shadalay incident said that they were mostly confined to their homes, with the situation after evening prayers being reminiscent of an undeclared curfew.

Abdullah, a young social activist in Bagh-Maidan, said people’s trust in law-enforcement agencies had largely vanished as armed men associated with outlawed terrorist groups openly patrolled roads, with security forces confined to their fortified posts.

He said the Shadalay incident had further eroded Tirah people’s confidence as they felt highly insecure due to the death of “innocent” people, including minor children and women.

“Local elders are reluctant to allow young family members to venture out of their homes at odd times, fearing ‘misadventure’ by either suspected terrorists or security forces,” he said.

Sturi Gul, another resident from the Shalobar area, said terrorists had established temporary checkpoints on almost all link roads where they frequently checked the identity of residents after sunset.

He said that visits of outsiders to the valley have considerably declined during the last few months due to the security situation, affecting trade in the region.

“The Lar Bagh and Bar Bagh markets now present a near deserted look with shopkeepers complaining about drastic decline in their sales with only a limited number of customers showing up with fear written large on their faces,” he said.

Khalil Khan, another social activist, said almost all educational institutions in Tirah stood closed as people were reluctant to allow their children to step out fearing mortar attacks and the resultant collateral damage.

He said in most cases, children, mostly students and women, had fallen victims to indiscriminate artillery fire and terrorist attacks on the houses of their rivals.

The activist said the Shadalay incident had exacerbated the law and order situation in Tirah valley, with the trust between residents and law-enforcement agencies being at the lowest ebb.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2025