Operation Khyber-I: 50 militants surrender in Bara subdivision

Six militants killed by security forces; nephew of Mangal Bagh shot dead

BARA:

At least 50 militants, including a key commander, have surrendered to the security forces in the Bara subdivision of Khyber Agency where a security operation, codenamed Khyber-I, has been ongoing since Thursday, security officials said on Saturday. Additionally, at least six suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in the same region.

The security forces were marching towards suspected hideouts of militants in Aka Khel and Sultan Khel areas of Bara when militants opened fire on them, a security official said. The security forces retaliated against the fire and in the ensuing gunfight six militants were killed, he added.

The official also said that a key militant commander, Maroof Aka Khel, met with senior officials of the security forces at Milot Camp and surrendered along with 50 fellow fighters. They all belonged to the Mangal Bagh-led Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) extremist group.

The security forces also made announcements from the loudspeakers of mosques in the Muhammad Ali Chowk area of Aka Khel urging militants to give up their weapons and renounce violence. On the other hand, the security forces continued to target hideouts of militants with helicopters gunships and artillery in the Merikhel and Gandao areas of Tirah Valley on Saturday but no casualties were reported.

Political administration officials said Khyber-I will continue until the remote valley is purged of all militants.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen shot and killed a son of LeI chief Mangal Bagh and a key commander of the group in the Sipah area of Bara Saturday afternoon. Mangal Bagh’s nephew – identified as Israfeel – was visiting the Spin Qabar Chowk area of Sipah, along with his fellows, when gunmen targeted them, an official of the local political administration said.

The official added that Israfil and another LeI commander, Hanif Khan, were fatally wounded in the attack, while the assailants fled the scene.  The official said that the attack could be the result of factional fighting. It has been reported that Operation Khyber-I has opened cracks within LeI’s ranks.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2014.