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| India-Pakistan |
| Troops raze two more militant centres in Bara |
| 2008-07-02 |
| The fourth day of the security operation against militants in the Bara subdivision of Khyber Agency ended on Tuesday with the destruction of two more militant compounds and the arrest of 18 militants. One of the razed buildings belonged to exiled former LI chief Mufti Munir Shakir, who used to reside in it before he was expelled from the troubled region. Separately, LI followers attacked the empty house of LI chief Mangal BaghÂ’s rival Pir Saifur Rehman, officials told AFP. Troops moved the LI men away but the house was blown up. Quoting a private TV channel, Online reported that security forces arrested three LI workers. It said that the security forces also recovered a kidnapped ex-soldier who had been abducted by the arrested men. Meanwhile, locals claimed that the khasadar tribal police had stopped performing their duties following a request by LI chief Mangal Bagh and tribal elders. The sources said that Bagh and Bara elders had cautioned the khasadars against fighting their own people. Also on Tuesday, a complete shutter down strike could be observed in Bara Bazaar due to the curfew imposed by the political administration. Bara TradersÂ’ Union President Said Ayaz told Daily Times that a senior official, accompanied by several Frontier Corps personnel, had visited the market on Tuesday morning and ordered the shopkeepers to shut down their businesses. However, troops did not restrain the movement of local residents. The situation in the Bar Qambarkhel area, a stronghold of warlord Haji Namdar, also remained calm following the explosion on Monday. NamdarÂ’s spokesman Munsif Afridi told Daily Times that the dispute between Haji Namdar and Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud had been resolved after mediation by Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar. Earlier, he had claimed that Omar had been present at the time of blast but had escaped unhurt. |
| Posted by:Fred |