Militants execute 5 kidnapped peace militia volunteers in Khyber Agency: official

Security official says peace militia men of Zakhakhel tribe were kidnapped on Sunday

BARA: At least five volunteers of Tauheedul Islam (TuI), a peace militia, who were a kidnapped a day earlier were executed by banned militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI), in Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency, sources in ground security forces said on Monday.

“Five peace militia men of the Zakhakhel tribe were kidnapped from Zakhakhel Bazar yesterday,” a security official said. “They were shot in the Kamarkhel area of Bara.”

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The official said the bodies of the victims have not been identified; however, they are believed to be the kidnapped members of the peace militia.

The LeI headed by Mangal Bagh is one of the proscribed militant outfits which had control of Bara area prior to the launch of the on-going military operation in Khyber Agency.

The group’s influence was considerably reduced as claimed by the security forces but isolated incidents of violence have continued to be reported in the area, particularly targeting those that have helped eradicating militants from the territory of their tribes.

The military offensive launched by the Pakistan Army last year against militants in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan is now in its final stages with the military aiming to eliminate the remaining terrorists soon. Officials claim that nearly 3,000 militants have been killed since the launch of the offensive. Authorities have now vowed to intensify operations both in the border regions and across the country.

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Earlier today, as many as three high profile militants were killed in Shawal Valley in a drone strike by Pakistan’s first indigenous armed drone, ‘Burraq’, the ISPR had said. Security officials claimed the indigenously-developed armed drone ‘Burraq’ has turned the tide against the militants in the offensive in Tirah Valley.