Tirah turf war day-7: LeI gains more control, support of tribesmen

Lashkar-e-Islam flags hoisted in Takhtaki area, six militants killed.

HANGU/ BARA:

As clashes in the troubled Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency entered the seventh consecutive day, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) announced that it has successfully captured all the check posts from the peace militia in Takhtaki area.

This won over the Qamarkhel tribesmen, who, along with peace volunteers, announced they were joining hands with the LeI and they hoisted its black flag at their houses and check posts.

On day seven, six more militants were killed in clashes among militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ansarul Islam (AI), LeI and Qamarkhel peace militia.

More than 90 TTP militants, three dozen AI members, over 10 LeI men and seven Qamarkhel vigilantes have been killed during the week. However, the death toll of civilians could not be confirmed.

On Tuesday, LeI militants had captured two check posts of Zarha Kandao and Naray Pail from the Qamarkhel peace militia. As a result, the peace militia started negotiating with the LeI militants to leave the check posts, insisting that they would remain impartial during the ongoing clashes. While LeI militants refused to relinquish control they did say that they would not advance into Qamarkhel areas.

However, on Wednesday and early Thursday morning, the peace militia hoisted flags in favour of LeI militants. Talking to journalists from an undisclosed location, LeI spokesperson Abu Rasheed Lashkari announced that his outfit had captured all the check posts from the peace militia in Takhtaki and the Qamarkhel tribesmen have decided to join hands with his outfit.

The Qamarkhel tribesmen confirmed the development and said it was done to avoid further bloodshed.

Ten killed in Orakzai Agency

Jet fighters pounded militant hideouts in Orakzai Agency for the fourth consecutive day Thursday when 10 militants were killed, security forces announced.

An official said that at midnight two fighter planes bombed TTP Orakzai militant trenches, destroying three of them in Arghanjo and Sarkani of Momozai in upper parts of the agency.

He said that in the recent operation, around 38 militants were killed while 11 of their hideouts were destroyed. However, the exact number of the wounded men could not be ascertained.

Thursday was the fourth bombing since the beginning of 2013 when security forces targeted militant hideouts of group led by Moulvi Gul Zaman and his deputy Maulana Toufan.

Talking to journalists, a TTP commander from Mamozai said that their trenches were bombed by fighter planes but very few of their fighters were killed or injured as the hideouts were vacated before the attack.

Orakzai is the second smallest agency in Fata after Bajaur Agency and the only area which doesn’t share a border with Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2013.