Taliban making inroads into Chitral Valley?

Hordes of Taliban insurgents cross over from Afghanistan and snatch rifles from troops in Arnadu tehsil

PESHAWAR: Two incidents of Taliban’s incursion into Chitral district last month have whipped up fear among local residents.

Chitral district, which borders Afghanistan in the west and northwest and Malakand division in south, has so far been unaffected by the deadly Taliban insurgency.

Early Thursday, hordes of Taliban insurgents crossed over from neighbouring Afghanistan and snatched rifles from troops deputed at a checkpoint in Arnadu tehsil. Dozens of heavily-armed Taliban guerrillas barged into the Gudibar checkpoint, some 15 kilometres north of Arnadu, a major town situated on the Afghan border. “They took away rifles, telephone sets, mobile phones and cash from the soldiers,” one source said.

Southern Chitral, where the incident took place shares borders with Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan – the hotbeds of Taliban insurgency in the war-torn country. Chitral has so far been a peaceful district except for a couple of incidents.

In September last year, a Greek social worker was seized by Taliban militants from Bambouret Valley inhabited by the mysterious Kalasha tribe. He was shifted to the Afghan province of Nuristan. He was released in April this year, after spending around six months in captivity. Sources say the Taliban swapped the Greek national for two of their leaders and millions of rupees in ransom. However, the authorities deny any such deal.

Some days back, contingents of paramilitary Chitral Scouts, police and border guards were deployed to Bambouret Valley following reports that the Taliban from Nuristan were seeking a foothold in the region.

“Security forces combed the area and are still deployed at all entry and exit points along the border with Afghanistan,” a local resident told The Express Tribune on the phone.

On August 29, six woodcutters were also abducted by the Taliban from Bambouret Valley. Three of them were later slaughtered and their bodies were handed over to the authorities in Dir district. The woodcutters were said to be members of a tribal Lashkar from the Doog Darra area of Upper Dir district, which had played a key role in evicting militants from the area. District authorities have not been able to convene a jirga to negotiate with the Taliban for the release of the remaining three woodcutters.

However, columnist Dr Inayatullah Faizi doesn’t see any threat of militancy in the region. “Thursday’s incident appears to be revenge by local timber smugglers who have to pay huge bribes to police and Scouts to protect their illegal trade,” he told The Express Tribune.

Faizi said the kidnapping of six labourers was also the result of a local feud and had nothing to do with militancy in Chitral. “Such incidents have also occurred in the past,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2010.