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KOHAT, Nov 16: Security forces claimed to have arrested 25 militants during search operation in Shini Kalay area of Darra Adamkhel on Sunday.
The search operation began at 1pm and ended after the arrest of 25 suspects at 4pm. Before the search operation, security forces imposed curfew in the area and made announcements that nobody should come out from his house.
Then a search operation was launched during which the security forces entered into the houses causing immense panic among the dwellers. Hundreds of tribesmen migrated to Peshawar and Kohat after the operation fearing more such actions in future.
Local elders and eyewitnesses told Dawn that all the 25 captured tribesmen were not militants but they were taken away only on suspicion and were being interrogated. Most of the tribesmen complained that security forces arrested innocent people and in many cases destroyed their houses without any investigations.
The search operation has been continuing in the area since first week of October and militants had been flushed out from major part of Darra Adamkhel.
They had come from Orakzai and Khyber agencies and disappeared back into the mountains after attacking the security forces.
But the people who had left the area especially Tor Chappar, Sheraki and Akhorwal were still hesitant about going back to their homes fearing fresh battles between security forces and the militants hiding in the adjoining Orakzai Agency.
So far more than 40,000 tribesmen had been displaced by the operation. They are living in worst conditions by hiring houses at high rents. Some of them are living with their relatives in the settled areas. Those who could not afford to leave the area had to face battle like situation every day.
MILITANT KILLED: Reports from Orakzai Agency said that unidentified tribesmen killed a militant commander in Rabia Khel area of Orakzai Agency and threw his body on the road on Saturday.
Local tribesmen termed the incident as a reaction to the cold blooded murder of tribal chief Bismillah Khan of Feroze Khel tribe the other day by Taliban of Darra Adamkhel near Kohat.
The militant commander was identified as Hafiz Tayyab. The younger brother of the killed militant commander is also active in the area and provides shelter to militants.
It may be recalled here that tribal administration suspended the perks of Rabia Khel and Aa Khel tribes on November 2 for their failure to expel Taliban from their soil and stop them from kidnapping people. Taliban had abducted eight people from the areas of these tribes.
In another development Taliban kidnapped four more people raising the total number of captives to 12 including a Levies havaldar and his son.
Taliban had warned all the tribes to stop attending meetings called by the political agent and refrain from forming lashkars and making decisions about their fate otherwise their elders and houses would be targeted.
ROCKET: Militants fired a rocket at Kohat city which landed near the Military Police Unit in the cantonment area on Sunday night.
Officials said that the rocket fired from undisclosed location fell in the fields near to the Military Police Unit and did not cause any damage.
The bomb disposal squad reached the scene and was defusing the rocket after taking it into custody.
