Acting with impunity: Militants kidnap four boys, release two

Around a dozen militants entered Suleiman Khel village without being detected.

PESHAWAR:

Militants kidnapped two boys from Suleiman Khel village, on the suburbs of Peshawar, on Monday night.

Around a dozen armed militants entered Suleiman Khel, barged into a guesthouse and whisked away four boys. Two of them were later released while the other two, identified as Sohail and Sadaqat, remain in captivity.

“These are young men around 18-years-old who were kidnapped by militants. The intentions of the kidnappers are not clear,” a local peace militia member told The Express Tribune. “Militants have increased their activity in the area once again and last night they also chopped the fruit trees in a garden.”



The plantation is owned by the Atlas’ family whose two members were killed when militants attacked a local mosque in 2010, he added. “The garden, which spans over several acres, was completely destroyed by these militants.”

Residents argue militants frequently infiltrate the settled district from the adjacent Khyber Agency without much detection and this is a serious concern for them.

“We are just fed up of this unrest in our area, which was once known for its exemplary peace. The situation is worsening with every day passing,” he said.

Last week, six people, including a political moharar and a nine-year old girl who was later founded dead, were kidnapped from different parts of Peshawar city.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2013.