TIMERGARA: Security forces have claimed inflicting heavy casualties on militants in the ensuing gun battle in Maidan area of Lower Dir district triggering massive displacement from the conflict hit areas.
Frontier Corps said in a statement on Monday that more than 40 militants including two commanders had been killed in operation 'Black Lightening' since Sunday. It said that troops regained control of Lal Qila and flushed out militants from Maidan valley, hometown of Maulana Sufi Muhammad.
Displaced people and witnesses said that noncombatants were also among the dead. They said that eight security personnel were killed in the exchange of fire.
Gunship helicopters and ground forces pounded militants’ hideouts in different parts of Maidan including Dokrai, Kalpani, Odigaram and Akakhel Darra. FC claimed that three militant commanders identified as Maulvi Shahid, Sajjad and Shabar had been killed so far.
Official sources also confirmed killing of eight security personnel.
Residents of Maidan fleeing the area said that they had seen bodies of Taliban and other noncombatants lying on roadside in different villages.
Sources said that security forces were in control of Lal Qilla, Kumbar, Katpatai, Parpetai, Khanabad, Galgot, Hayaserai and Kaladag. The militants, they said, were still in control of most parts of the Upper Maidan Shadas area and were showing stiff resistance to security forces.
It is learnt that militants were vacating the area. Heavy shelling had damaged several homes. Troops were firing heavy artillery from their bases in Timergara, Islam Darra and Samar Bagh.
A Mass exodus continued on Monday and according to the Al-Khidmat Foundation nearly 55,000 people most of them women and children had so far left their homes.
Provincial president of the Awami National Party Afrasiab Khattak along with minister for information Mian Iftikhar Hussain visited district headquarters Timergara and held meetings with elders.
Later speaking at a news conference at the DCO office, Khattak termed the FC operation as 'very limited' and said it was not a full pledge military operation. He said the FC personnel were only targeting militants’ positions in the area and soon it would be ended.
He said it would have no effects on the Nizam-I-Adl regulation signed by the president of Pakistan and determined that the ANP led provincial government would implement it at any cost.
'We have made a promise with the people of Malakand and will keep our words to enforce Sharia law in the region,' Afrasiab said. He further stated that the operation would not be extended to other parts of the district if the people did not take arms.
Afrasiab also said the Taliban should lay down their weapons and that the government would not let any force establish a parallel government in the area.
Mian Iftikhar said that the government had contacts with Maulana Sufi Muhammad, asking him to enact the Swat peace deal.
He said peace had been restored to Swat but some miscreants within the ranks of Taliban were not willing to abide by the peace there.
'The government is adament to set up Qazi courts in all districts of Malakand division and it will also establish Darul Qaza according to the wishes of the people,' Iftikhar said.
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