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Pakistani tribesmen burn houses of Taliban militants

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 5, IRNA

Pakistan-Tribesmen

Thousands of armed tribesmen Saturday burned houses of militants as part of their punitive action against the local Taliban militants in the restive Bajaur tribal region, witnesses in the area said.

Tribesmen have formed their own traditional 'lashkar' or army to take action against the militants and set ablaze several houses.

Tribesmen have stood against the local Taliban at a time when the security forces also continued offensive them in Bajaur, where hundreds of people, most civilians, have been killed in less than two months.

According to army statistics, the security forces have killed over 600 militants and the army lost up-to 70 soldiers.

Over three hundred thousand people have fled homes in Bajaur and move to other areas, according to the government.

The UN refugee agency says that around 20,000 Pakistanis have fled to neighboring Afghanistan who have been given shelter by their relatives across the border in Kunar province.

The security forces are using fighter planes, helicopter gunships and artillery to hit positions of the militants.

According to local people of the area, the tribesmen belonging to the major Salarzai tribe torched houses of local Taliban militants for their activities.

Taliban militants had been very active in Bajaur till the military offensive was launched in late August. They had set up their own court system to punish the people.

Deputy chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, is leading militants in Bajaur and security officials say that he was injured in a last month air strike. The TTP has denied the claim.

His son was killed in the fighting last month, officials say.

In another development, the tribesmen said that the government writ has been restored in several parts of Bajaur Agency after Taliban are either killed or forced to leave the area or take shelter in mountains.

The security forces have taken 90 percent control of Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur Agency, locals said.

Meanwhile, Afghan refugees have started migration to their homeland and other parts of Pakistan after the authorities asked them to leave Bajaur in three days.

According to estimates, about 90,000 Afghan refugees had been residing in different parts of Bajaur Agency.

The local administration in Bajaur Agency on October 2 had given them three-day deadline to vacate the area over security concerns and their alleged ties with the militants.