The bodies of 13 soldiers killed by militants during the military’s ongoing operation in Darra Adam Khel have been found, the army said on Wednesday. An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said the bodies had been shifted to their respective areas for burial. “They embraced shahadat during recent operations,” it said.Sources told Daily Times that three of the dead were army personnel that the militants had captured, along with ammunition and food trucks, near the Kohat Tunnel on January 24. They said militants had kidnapped the remaining 10 personnel. Three bodies could not be recognised, they added. “They [soldiers] were apparently killed last week but their bodies were found today,” a police official told Reuters.
Conflicting reports: There were conflicting reports about how the bodies were discovered, with the military denying claims by local police that the men were kidnapped and then dumped in a vehicle, AFP reported. Police officials said on condition of anonymity that authorities discovered the bodies of the 13 soldiers dumped in a vehicle in Darra Adam Khel on Wednesday after they were abducted last week. But a senior army official said the account was “rubbish” and that the men were killed in military operations.
Military officials were not available to confirm if those killed belonged to the army or the Frontier Corps. However, a source said all the bodies belonged to army personnel.
Separately, the ISPR said security forces were in full control of the region and efforts were underway to open the tunnel for public use. Calm returned to Darra Adam Khel after five days of fighting. No incidents of artillery, shelling or small arms fire were reported from the region on Tuesday night or Wednesday. However, military helicopters were seen over the hilltops manned by security personnel, residents told Daily Times.
A convoy of more than 50 vehicles, the first after almost six days, had civilians returning to their homes under tight security by FC personnel. A similar convoy arrived in Darra town from areas adjacent to Kohat district. However, the vehicles came through the Kotal Road, not the Kohat Tunnel. The ISPR said a total of 150 vehicles passed through Darra Adam Khel on Wednesday, but did not specify if the convoy was of civilians or security personnel.
Around 80 percent of the population had evacuated the area and taken refuge in areas adjacent to Peshawar or Kohat, following the start of the military operation on January 25. An elder, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal from militants, said many displaced people were reluctant to return to Darra, as they feared the Taliban would return. Local journalist Nisar Afridi said locals were hesitant because of the continuous curfew-like situation in the area, as well as the suspension of electricity and scarcity of food items, drinking water and medicines.
Two soldiers killed: Also on Wednesday, local Taliban attacked a military base in North Waziristan, killing two soldiers. According to official sources, the rocket attack targeted Razmak army camp, 75 kilometres south of Miranshah. “We lost two soldiers in the attack and security forces retaliated,” the sources said. Another soldier was injured, AFP reported. It was not clear which group had attacked the base or whether any militants were killed in the retaliatory fire. Two suicide bombers were also captured in Dera Ismail Khan, Reuters reported.