Operation spinoffs: 14 families displaced from South Waziristan Agency

No arrangements in Tank district to receive them, say IDPs.

DI KHAN: With the scope of the ongoing military operation expanded, 14 families have been displaced from Mantoi, South Waziristan Agency, a political administration official told The Express Tribune.

Mantoi is situated in Shakai, bordering North Waziristan Agency where Operation Zarb-e-Azb is under way.

The displaced Mehsud families have reached Gomal in Tank district, where lack of government arrangements is making life difficult for them.

One of the heads of the families, Sherbatullah said no government official has come to their aid so far.

“We were asked to vacate our homes and told that arrangements have been made.

We left all our belongings behind,” he said, adding more families are en route.

Although the political administration official said 14 families have left so far, the displaced persons claim 25 have arrived in Tank district.

Sherbatullah said the families walked all the way to Daand from where the political administration vehicles transported them to Kawar, FR Tank, and on to Tank district.

The evacuation from SWA has begun at a time when the government has announced repatriation of Mehsud tribesmen from March.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2015.