Parachinar

source:http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/44-eighty-per-cent-of-kurram-cleared-of-militants-says-army-fa-01

Eighty per cent of Kurram cleared of militants: army(dawn news)

Eighty per cent of Kurram cleared of militants: army

Tuesday, 06 Jul, 2010

Different militant hideouts were also wiped out during the operation. – File Photo

PESHAWAR: Eighty per cent of the Kurram tribal region has been cleared of militants and the military operation in the area is still underway, Commandant Col. Tauseef Akhtar said on Tuesday.

Briefing local and international press at Parachinar, Col. Akhtar said that the convoy traffic had been restored on the Parachinar road however local traffic will only be opened once conditions normalise.

Eighteen security personnel have died whereas more than 200 militants have been killed since the military operation started in September 2009, Col. Akhtar said.

Different militant hideouts were also wiped out during the operation.

During the briefing, local residents requested the security personnel to ensure implementation of measures agreed upon by tribal elders in Murree in May 2008. –

DawnNews

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Kurram Agency almost cleared of terrorists’(sama)

'Kurram Agency almost cleared of terrorists'

Upadated on: 06 Jul 10

Staff Report

KURRAM AGENCY: Eighty percent of Kurram Agency has been cleared of terrorists after the operation and Tal-Para Chinar road has been opened for traffic, said Commandant Kurram Militia Colonel Tausif while briefing the media Tuesday.

He said that 18 security officials were martyred in the operation and 46 others were injured.

Citizens were facing a lot of problems due to closing of Tal-Para Chinar Road for a long time. It has been opened now and the passengers are being given all facilities.

He further said that there are certain hideouts of the terrorists still present in Kurram Agency and action is being taken to alleviate them too.

Also, illegal immigration on the Pak-Afghan border has been completely stopped. SAMAA

source: http://www.samaa.tv/News22328-Kurram_Agency_almost_cleared_of_terrorists.aspx

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Normalcy returning to scenic Kurram Agency

By Iftikhar Firdous

July 07, 2010

Paramilitary soldiers patrol in a cave at a complex dug into rocky mountains which was used by Taliban militants in Kurram Agency. PHOTO:...

KHURRAM AGENCY: Fumes of narcotics seized by paramilitary forces in the Kurram tribal region could lull a man's senses from quite a distance. Sacks full of hashish worth Rs30 million were only a small part of the multi-billion dollar narco- business carried out by the militants to fund their heinous agenda.

Drugs, weapons and suicide jackets were displayed on white flashy table cloths as Colonel Tauseef Akhtar of the paramilitary Frontier Corps claimed that "Upper Kurram Agency has been cleared of miscreants while the Thall-Parachinar-Sadda highway has been reopened for traffic after a span of more than two and a half years."

Kurram Agency has been ravaged by sectarian violence for years but another force emerged, cashing in on the Shia-Sunni schism — the Taliban aided by al Qaeda.

"Hakimullah Mehsud's presence was quite frequent," Colonel Akhtar told a select group of journalists while travelling towards the Doggar area of Central Kurram, which he said "might still be harbouring militants."

The terrain is difficult. The infamous Tora Bora mountains can be seen silhouetted against the mountains. "Doggar is situated on the confluence of borders of Orakzai and North Waziristan agencies. Peace in Kurram is directly linked with peace in its neighbouring agencies.
"It took a number of lives to secure this region," a security official told The Express Tribune. However, the area hasn't been completely cleared yet as it's difficult to get to every nook and corner of this agency.

According to official statistics, there are around 150 militants of the Mehdi Militia in Sharku Land, 300 TTP militants in Dogar and about 50 local miscreants in the Pistwana area. These groups were aided by "foreign countries", officials said without elaborating.

As we travelled on the bumpy track towards the Lower Kurram area, the condition of road started deteriorating. Our vehicles, escorted by around 50 paramilitary troops, stopped at the end of the road in a ravine. We found ourselves in front of cave-like structures in the mountain. The place is known as Sheesho. Ironically – the area is supplied with electricity.

"It's a training camp from the era of the Afghan war, which was taken over by the Taliban," a security officer said. "It was used as a training centre and the caves are almost 500 feet long."

Stock of food items, exercise machines, rusted handcuffs and ropes were lying on the mouth of the tunnels. "These things along with the ICRC hospital (turned into a human abattoir) were used as torture cells by militants where abductees were kept or killed," a local resident told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity. "More than 100 militants lived here, after we bombarded the area, some two dozen were killed while the rest escaped," said Wing Commander Sajjad. "We found only one body. They never leave behind their dead," he explained.

Officials say 18 security officials lost their lives, while 46 were injured. Around 96 militants were also killed during the operation, codenamed Khwakh Ba De Sham, meaning "I'll Teach You a Lesson." "However, maintaining law and order is a continuous process," said Col Akhtar, pointing towards the Orakzai Agency. "This post of Ghlo Ghundair has been attacked several times, most recently a week ago, therefore it will take some time to restore complete peace in the region," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2010.
Source:http://tribune.com.pk/story/26175/normalcy-returning-to-scenic-kurram-agency/

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80pc area of Kurram Agency cleared: official(the news)

80pc area of Kurram Agency cleared: official

Wednesday, July 07, 2010
PARACHINAR: Commander In-charge Kurram Militia Col Touseef Akhtar on Tuesday claimed that 80 per cent of Kurram Agency has been purged of militants while remaining area would also be cleared very soon.

He stated this while talking to a group of journalists flown by FC to Parachinar, headquarters of Kurram Agency.Briefing the reporters about the military operation in the area, Col Touseef said that Kurram Agency was divided into three zones and the brave personnel of paramilitary forced the militants to escape from the area. He said the militants had made the life of Kurram residents miserable and innocent people were killed without any reason.

The militants, he said, had closed Tall-Parachinar Road as a result of which supply of essential items, including food and medicines, to the agency was very nominal. In few areas, he added, 50-kg bag of wheat flour was sold at a rate of Rs7,000 to Rs8,000 because of the acute scarcity of the commodity. Similarly, he added, due to shortage of wheat several people died because they were unable to get proper treatment.

The Kurram Militia, the official said, has resolved to fight militants and purge the area of them. Due to firm resolve of the armed forces, he said, the agency was not only cleared of miscreants but the 89-kilometre Tall-Parachinar Road was reopened after a period of three years.

Col Touseef said that forces also took control of Pak-Afghan border area. He said the sectarian strife in the agency was also resolved to a greater extent by holding peace jirga. He said in Upper Kurram, the Doogar area was cleared of militants within a fortnight. The area was in control of militants for the last two years. In Doogar, he said, the militants had established training camps and were running drug business. The Doogar operation was completed on December 12 last year in which 18 officials embraced martyrdom and 47 were injured while 96 militants were killed.

The officer said that a wanted Taliban leader, Mullah Toofan, also belonged to this area and was killed in the operation. He said the militants had spread terror in the region and made the life of people miserable by carrying out kidnapping and killing. The brave action taken by armed forces, however, dealt a severe blow to them and the area was successfully cleared.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=249311

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