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| India-Pakistan |
| Curfew imposed, search operation launched in Hangu town |
| 2008-07-11 |
| Security forces started a search operation and imposed a curfew in Doaba on Thursday after local Taliban ended their 12-hour siege of the Doaba Police Station. Following the actions of a peace jirga, the militants relinquished their hold of the police station, which they had surrounded to secure the release of six arrested accomplices. The jirga members told reporters at District Council Hall Hangu that the administration had broken its promise by launching the military operation and imposing curfew. They said that the local Taliban had ended their siege and reopened all roads upon the jirga's assurance that no military operation would be launched. After lodging a protest against the military operation with the political administration, the jirga members said that they would continue their efforts for a peace agreement similar to the ones achieved by the government in Swat, Bara and Waziristan. Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar announced that they had kidnapped 22 security officials in retaliation against the government's 'mistake' of deploying the army in the region, Online reported. "We have kidnapped 22 security officials, including police, Frontier Constabulary and army officials. We will not stop our actions until this injustice ends," he added. Following the launch of the security operation, the sources said that the situation in Tall and Doaba was tense and CD shop owners had been threatened with dire consequences. Local sources also claimed that security forces were conducting house-to-house searches in both Doaba and Tall. |
| Posted by:Fred |