Kurram Agency: Jets strafe militant hideouts, kill 15

Around 12,000 families have moved to safer places in the wake of the operation.

PARACHINAR:

At least 15 militants were killed on Wednesday when Pakistani fighter jets bombed their hideouts in central parts of Kurram Agency.

An official of security forces said that fighter planes bombed several of militants hideouts in Para Chamkani areas in which 15 militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed adding that after the bombing militants shifted the bodies to unknown places in the mountainous region of the agency.

The operation against militants in central part of the agency was launched on May 08, after forces were informed that militants have captured the araes of Gondal, Tabay, Malo Pattai, Darya Sarpakh, Goganay, Aroza and Makhranai Godar in Para Chamkani.

Around 12,000 families have vacated their homoes and moved to the lower parts of the agency and to Kohat and Hangu districts after the operation started in the area.

According to the reports; more than 64 tribesmen including women and children have been killed by diseases and mishaps after fleeing from their houses while most are still living without tents facing severe shortage of food and basic necessities of life.



On Tuesday, 14 militants were killed and three hideouts were destroyed on May 23 when security forces advanced in Zarah Mela of the central Kurram area of the agency, two security personnel including a captain were killed and around 18 were injured in militant attacks on security forces check-post in Zarah Mela. On May 14, militants set on fire a local dispensary along with a government-run school in the troubled Para Chamkani area while on May 10, three security personnel and nine militants were killed when clashes erupted between them in Mohmand Top check-post in central Kurram Agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.