PESHAWAR: A peace deal between the government and militants in North Waziristan is unlikely by Friday (August 25) because the issues of return of army weapons and release of militants are yet to be settled, a source said on Wednesday. "We wanted to finalise the deal by Friday, but it appears less likely because the two issues will take time to resolve," a member of a jirga, which was formed to broker peace between the government and the local Taliban, told Daily Times by phone from Miranshah. He requested anonymity. | “... the military was asking militants to return weapons and vehicles they snatched during ambushes, while the militants were asking the military to release all their colleagues before the deal...” |
The jirga member said that the military was asking militants to return weapons and vehicles they snatched during ambushes, while the militants were asking the military to release all their colleagues before the deal. He said the militants had assured the jirga they would not cross the border into Afghanistan to attack US-led coalition forces there.