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MINGORA Thousands of stranded residents of Mingora city and its adjacent localities started leaving the conflict ravaged town after the security forces relaxed curfew on Sunday.
The residents, who had remained confined to their houses without electricity and gas supplies for the last one month, streamed out of the area to reach camps set up for the internally displaced persons in Mardan and Swabi districts.
The city of Mingora clearly looked like a war zone where every nook and corner was secured by troops. Soldiers were seen taking positions on residential compounds, business centres, government buildings and streets.
Massive deployment of security forces with gunship helicopters flying overhead was witnessed from Landakai Check post up to Mingora bazaar, which was ally controlled by gun-toting bands of Taliban before the launch of the operation on May 7.
Security forces were conducting body searches of the people who were proceeding towards Mingora to evacuate their stranded relatives. At one check point, troops took off the shirt of a cameraman working for a private TV channel.
Contrary to the general perception in the wake of the military operation the level of destruction in the city appeared minimal. Only a few buildings and shops were damaged in the clashes and during shelling by security forces.
This correspondent witnessed four decomposed and unidentified bodies lying exposed on the Nawi Road and People's Square of the town. Terrified residents said that top commanders of the militants had disappeared while the low cadre was eliminated during the clashes.
The curfew was relaxed from 7am to 1pm. Stranded people thronged the roads and appeared desperate to catch transport to move out to safe areas or relief camps.
Mingora is still without phone, gas, water and electricity.
A resident, Mohammad Nisar, 40, said that the people stuck up in their houses had run out of eatables and the situation had become dire. 'Death stared us in the face as everybody was starving. Thanks to God that the curfew was relaxed and we were able to come out,' he said.
The security forces had also allowed transport from other districts into Mingora to bring out the stranded residents. Women, children and aged people were fleeing the town.
Another resident, Hassan Khan, said that the people have been facing a dilemma as there is no timeframe for the military operation and the food had run out. 'Now, the people are getting desperate to flee the area,' he added.
ICRC assesses humanitarian situation
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team visited the troubled area for the first time and assessed the humanitarian situation, the relief organisation said in a statement.
It said that the organization is gravely concerned about the plight of civilians in Swat and believes their situation demands a prompt and comprehensive humanitarian response.
'The people of Swat need greater humanitarian protection and assistance
immediately,' said Pascal Cuttat, head of the organization's delegation in
Pakistan.
'The ICRC will do its utmost to meet those needs without delay. Given what we have already seen on the ground, we are mobilizing additional resources, but safe and unimpeded access to the area remains essential for our teams to deliver.'
ICRC delegates who were Swat were alarmed by what they saw. 'People have
been blocked for weeks,' said Daniel O'Malley, who led the team.
'There is no running water, no electricity, and food is scarce. There is no fuel left
for generators and most medical facilities in the district are no longer
functioning.'
'Phone lines are down, so people have been cut off from the outside world and are anxious for contact with relatives who fled the area.'
The ICRC team visited Khwazakhela hospital, one of the few medical facilities left in Swat, to assess the public health situation and deliver essential supplies. 'The handful of hospital staffs left are struggling to work without any water, electricity or supplies,' O'Malley reported.
'They simply cannot cope with the influx of patients.' The team evacuated three patients, including one to the ICRC's Weapon Wounded Hospital in Peshawar.
It later facilitated the evacuation of thirteen more patients.
The ICRC, one of the very few humanitarian organizations working in Swat before the conflict broke out, has been trying to return there since early May. Despite constant negotiations with the parties, access to Swat and other districts affected by the fighting remains too limited to meet the needs of the people affected.
The organization is stepping up its humanitarian aid in Buner and Lower Dir, other conflict-affected areas to which it has gained access in the past two weeks. It also continues to support camps run by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society in Malakand Agency and in Swabi, where over 20,000 people driven from their homes by the fighting are currently living.
