The Pakistan Army on Thursday arrested another 10 tribesmen for refusing to hand over three people who allegedly harboured Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters near the Afghan border, bringing the total arrested in a two-day operation to 42. âWe have arrested 10 more people and sealed 18 markets of Zalikhel and Karikhel tribes,â administrator Anwar Ali Shah told Daily Times from Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan Agency. The three wanted men are believed to have sheltered a band of Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in their residential mud-walled compounds near Angoor Ada in South Waziristan, five kilometres from the Afghan border. The militants were targetted in a major military operation last week by hundreds of commandoes who surrounded their hideouts.
"Cheeze, Mahmoud! It looks like the whole Pakistan army out there!"
"Don't worry, honored guests! We'll just refuse to turn you over..."
"Ummm... They're bringing up tanks." |
Eight fighters and two Pakistani troops were killed in the ensuing battle while 18 Taliban and Al Qaeda suspects were captured. Shah said Wana authorities have been seizing cars and sealing commercial premises owned by the tribes hiding the three local men, and have threatened to demolish tribesmenâs homes if they do not hand the men over.
| "Oh! Won't hand them over, huh? Chaudry! Take their stuff!" |
âWe impounded 20 automobiles and sealed several hundred shops, petrol pumps and hotels belonging to the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe and Karihel and Zalikhel sub-tribes,â Shah said. âIf the tribesmen fail to hand over the three men who sheltered Al Qaeda terrorists we will start demolishing their homes,â Shah said. He cited a clause in the Frontier Crimes Regulation legal code covering the seven tribal agencies, which decrees the demolition of homes as the punishment for sheltering terrorists or criminals. |