Losing hope: Minors remain in custody of militants

Manzoor and Sajjad were detained by Lashkar-e-Islam two years ago


Riaz Ahmad March 26, 2015

PESHAWAR: One unfortunate afternoon in September 2013 Manzoor Hussain and Sajjad left their homes in Sheikhan village, never to return.

Their distraught families ran from pillar to post in search of the missing 14-year-olds. It was only when a video was released by the outlawed Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) that they come to know that the boys were in the custody of the notorious militant organisation in Khyber Agency.

For the past 18 months, their parents have died a little bit every day, picturing the fate of their offspring.

It is said the LI took the boys with them on charges of espionage. “There were several severed heads in the video but Manzoor and Sajjad were present in the background,” said a village resident. He was talking about the LI video in which the two teenagers were first seen after their disappearance.

He added both teenagers had gone to Akka Khel to meet members of Aman Sarishta (a pro-government tribal militia) who were fighting LI militants. The villager said since then, the exact location of the two boys is unknown; many believe they have either been killed or used as suicide bombers by the militant outfit.

COMMENTS (1)

syed & syed | 9 years ago | Reply What a crime in the name of Islam by so called Lashkar -e-Islam
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