Saturday, March 26, 2011

12 freed out of 45 kidnapped in Kurram Agency


 12 freed out of 45 kidnapped in Kurram Agency

 Updated at: 1047 PST,  Saturday, March 26, 2011
12 freed out of 45 kidnapped in Kurram Agency PARACHANAR: Twelve persons including women and children were set free out of the 45 kidnapped by the armed persons at Bagun area of Kurram Agency yesterday.

Sources said that out of the 45 persons, who were yesterday abducted by the armed persons at Bagun area of Lower Kurram Agency, 12 have been released, which included five women and seven children. 

While out of the 13 dead in yesterday incident, the bodies of three persons were shifted over here and buried after the funeral prayer.

The injured shifted to Ali Zai and Parachanar hospitals are under medical care.
 

Militants kill 13, abduct 45 in Kurram ambush

The Nation Newspaper Pakistan

Militants kill 13, abduct 45 in Kurram ambush

Published: March 26, 2011
Militants kill 13, abduct 45 in Kurram ambush
PESHAWAR - At least thirteen persons were killed and 10 others injured while 45 passengers were kidnapped along with three vehicles, when armed militants ambushed a convoy of buses in Lower Kurram Agency on Friday. 
Tribal sources said passenger buses were on way from Peshawar to Parachinar when unknown militants ambushed them with sophisticated weapons in Bagan area of Lower Kurram Agency. The militants after attacking the convoy of buses kidnapped 45 passengers. They also drove away three vehicles with them, besides setting two of them to fire. The incident resulted in the killing of 13 persons and wounding 10 others. The injured were shifted to Ghalezai and Parachinar hospitals. 
The injured told media persons that when they reached Bagan area, some masked militants attacked their vehicles with sophisticated weapons. They said some of the passengers were kidnapped while those who tried to escape were beaten up brutally. They informed that militants have kidnapped around 45 passengers who were taken away in three vehicles. 
It bears mentioning here that Bagan area is one of the sensitive areas of Kurram Agency where more than 300 persons have so far been killed and hundreds of others kidnapped in deferent terrorist activities. 
After a peace agreement with Taliban, it was the fourth time that peaceful passengers were targeted in the area. 
Agencies add: Militants ambushed a convoy of vehicles carrying members of an anti-Taliban Shia tribe in Kurram Agency on Friday, killing thirteen and wounding ten.
Those killed belonged to the Turi tribe in the Kurram region, whose people have blocked Taliban militants from the Haqqani network - one of the most dangerous Taliban factions - from using their territory to cross into Afghanistan. Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes between the Turi and their Taliban-backed rivals in recent months.
There have been attempts by Taliban to strike peace deals with the Turi tribe that could give them access to remote strategic areas on the Afghan border.
Government officials in the region confirmed the attack but said they did not have any details about the kidnapping.
 

New attack on Parachinar road; 8 killed, 45 kidnapped


New attack on Parachinar road; 8 killed, 45 kidnapped

By Hussain Afzal | From the Newspaper
The attack is the latest blow to a peace deal signed in February to end a four- conflict which has claimed lives of hundreds of people belonging to both sects. – File Photo by AP
PARACHINAR: Masked terrorists ambushed four mini-buses near Bagun town in Kurram agency on Friday. They set on fire one minibus and kidnapped 45 passengers and seized the three other vehicles. According to agency reports, at least eight people were killed in the attack.
The vehicles were coming to Parachinar from Peshawar and, according to sources, most of the passengers belonged to the Shia community.
The sources said that the gunmen later freed five women and seven children.
In a similar attack in mid-March terrorists killed nine people on the Parachinar road.
A tribal elder in Alizai town said that three bodies had been retrieved and the two injured had been taken to hospitals.
"We have reports that eight people have been killed and 45 others have been kidnapped," he said.
The attack is the latest blow to a peace deal signed in February to end a four- conflict which has claimed lives of hundreds of people belonging to both sects.
The agreement was enforced after all the players concerned pledged to honour it in letter and spirit.
People of Kurram travelling between Parachinar and Peshawar have been frequently attacked in Hangu district.
A few days ago, a minibus coming from Parachinar was attacked and 11 passengers were killed. A few days later, eight people were injured in a similar attack.
The Thall-Parachinar road was closed to traffic as tension gripped the volatile area after Friday's ambush.
Local people said the political administration and law-enforcement agencies are saying nothing about the number of casualties.
"Officials are hiding information about fatalities," said a tribal elder in Alizai which is adjacent to Bagun.
According to Mehbood Ali, one of the injured passengers, the vehicles were attacked with automatic weapons by masked terrorists. He said anyone trying to flee was shot, adding that the 45 passengers who were kidnapped appeared to have been taken to central Kurram.
There is widespread unease in the region over the increasing number of attacks on passenger vehicles despite the peace agreement.
Meanwhile, terrorists fired mortar shells at a school in Piwar village near the Afghan border on Friday, but there was no casualty.