[The News (Pak) Top Stories] Breaking his silence over the ongoing security forces operation in his stronghold of Bara, the chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam (LI), Mangal Bagh, on Friday warned that he would come out with a fresh strategy if the operation was not halted till Saturday afternoon. The announcement, baffling many Bara dwellers, was made from the LI's illegal FM channel on Friday night, the fourth day of the operation. "We ask the government to stop the operation, which is illegal," said the banned LI chief. Though stopping short of threatening counter attacks, Bagh said his men would allow the Taliban from other areas to enter Bara if the operation was not halted forthwith.
Although, a proscribed organisation, the LI is not part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a conglomerate of several terrorist outfits from different tribal agencies and settled areas. The LI was also not allowing other militant organisations like the Taliban, to enter Bara so far. However, Bagh's fresh announcement on the entry of Taliban in Bara seems to be a pointer to an armed struggle against security forces.
In his startling announcement, Bagh said he would announce his fresh strategy on his FM channel on Saturday evening if the operation was not stopped. Security forces have demolished more than two dozen houses of banned LI leaders and their supporters during the four-day operation. Both security and political administration officials claimed killing more than 50 militants and arresting over 60.
The houses destroyed during the operation also included that of the LI chief Mangal Bagh in Sipah area. The same house was destroyed during a similar operation in June last year. The outlawed LI did not offer any resistance during the last year's operation, codenamed as Daraghlam.
Meanwhile, security forces continued with demolition of houses of suspected militants and their commanders in different areas of Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency on the fourth day of the operation Bia Daraghlam (Here I come again) while helicopters were also used to hit targets.
The action on Friday was mostly conducted in Sipah, Malak Dinkhel and Akakhel areas of Bara. The houses of Jan Gul, member of outlawed Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) Shura, Hasan Baz, Amin Shinwari, Jan Mat, Saifullah, Hazrat Khan, Shah Faisal and Maulana Buner were demolished in Sipah area.
In Malak Dinkhel area, security forces destroyed the houses of supporters and commanders of LI, including Amal Gul, Iqbal, Faqir Gul, Lal Zaman and Taj Mali. The houses of Said Nawab, Ali Akbar, Musa Khan, Azam Khan and Ajab Khan were razed to ground in Akakhel area. The security forces did not carry out operation in Kamarkhel and Shlobar areas on Friday.
The closure of Bara Bazaar for the fourth consecutive day increased the problems of the people who were under curfew and running out of food items inside their houses. Locals said curfew remained in place mostly in areas where security forces were conducting the operation. However, markets were closed causing scarcity of necessary items, particularly food and medicines.
Officials said the operation was launched because the banned LI had established a parallel government in Bara by taxing people and transport, deciding cases and awarding punishment to people without any regard for the law of the country.
They said the operation would continue till the restoration of writ of the government in the area. "The militants, who have fled to the mountains, will be targeted once the writ of the government is restored in the plain areas," said one official on condition of anonymity.
The security officials also claimed killing three suspected militants during Friday's action. One among the three slain people was identified as Shahid. Military helicopters also targeted militants' positions in Nare Baba and Mehroban Kelley area of Bar Bara, but there were no reports about casualties or damage to property.