An official of security forces stops a vehicle carrying tribesmen from North Waziristan Agency at a checkpoint on Miranmshah Road. PHOTO: ONLINE
Dozens of families packed their bags in Mirali tehsil and made a beeline for Bannu city and other parts of the country following Saturday’s curfew break in North Waziristan Agency on Saturday.
At the same time, a few traders also opened shops and started business activities in the troubled tribal agency.
However, many tribesmen in Mirali and Machis Camp in Miramshah, headquarters of the agency, rushed to the market to dig out valuables from the rubble of their homes that were flattened by shelling.
Independent sources from the area said more than 80 people, mostly militants, were killed in the targeted operation in the agency while around 100 were injured and many arrested by security forces backed by helicopter gunships, tanks and heavy artillery.
They said many suspected militants hideouts were also destroyed.
Another source said important militant commanders – including Uzbek Commander Abu Ahmad, Commander Qanoni, suicide bombers’ commander Sabir, Commander Gilamand, and Commander Jihad Yaar – were also killed in Wednesday’s shelling.
A tribesmen from Machis Camp, Gul Daraz Khan, who was sitting and crying on the rubble of his house, said he was out of the area when the bombing started, adding that everything was destroyed.
“However, I am only worried about my father who is buried deep in the rubble of my house, upon which I am sitting right now,” he said.
Gul Daraz later on joined other tribesmen in pulling out the body of his dead father from the debris.
Haji Pir Muhammad Khan, who has a poultry farm in Mirali, said every building including his own house was destroyed except for the poultry farm.
“I don’t know how the farm remained safe in the shelling,” he said, adding that four members of his family were killed in the heavy bombing on Mirali Bazaar.
Miramshah Government Degree College’s principal Sultan Khan, using the loudspeakers of a local mosque, informed all the students in the area to come to the college on Monday for their chemistry paper and two practical exams, which were suspended due to ongoing curfew in the area.
On Saturday afternoon, the district government officials in Bannu imposed curfew on the main routes of the district leading to DI Khan, Peshawar and North Waziristan.
A district government official said curfew was imposed due to the movement of security convoys to North Waziristan Agency, adding that they would lift the curfew at night once the troops reached their destination.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2014.
COMMENTS (9)
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@Faisal:
We have seen from experience that military operations create havoc and enemies. It is simple. When you bomb an area, you create many enemies because, you destroy houses, businesses and kill innocent people. They then become the recruiting ground for terrorist attacks. The important fact in these military operation is the encouragement and support given by USA. We entered American War On Terror and sooner we get out of this war, the better it will be. This war is not in the interest of Pakistan.
Did you ever hear tribesmen fleeing tribal areas due to drone attacks ? Drone attacks are much more precise and purpose built for such tactical strikes. PAF is using warplanes purpose built for a full scale war scenario for such tactical strikes. No wonder media is not allowed in these areas after strikes by PAF. Atleast we used to get the number of civilians and terrorist deaths. Now we only get the numbers by ISPR. Such a shame.. At least it was US forces killing Pakistanis back then. Now its Pakistani army killing Pakistanis..
why not give them good facilities and charge it USA as we are doing it on their demand
The mood in Pakistan appears to be totally against the militants who have killed thousands of innocent people including security personnel. The military should immediately launch ground offensive and take control of the whole territory where state's writ does not exists. However, efforts should be made to keep the collateral damage to minimum and media should be allowed to assess the same.
Any abettor, supporter of terrorist is also partner in crime and deserve the same treatment.Nation stands with the Pak Army against these Religious Beasts using the name of Islam.
Lies. Lies and Lies.
These American wars do not understand that terrorism is not religious it is human. It is usu revenge, one example would be American terrorism esp after 911 in which millions of people, mainly muslims, suffered.