PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Army, the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and the Frontier Police launched an operation on Wednesday in Naryab and Zargari areas of Doaba Town, hitting hideouts of militants with gunship helicopters and artillery fire. Also, curfew was clamped on Hangu town on Wednesday after the local Jirga failed to defuse the tension.

There were unconfirmed reports that heavy shelling killed one person in Tora Warai while four others sustained injuries in Naryab. Curfew is already in place in Doaba town since July 9 when the police had launched a crackdown on certain groups. Educational institutions, bazaars and roads in the area have been closed for the last one week and the local people are migrating to safer places.

After getting air cover from choppers, troops moved to Naryab town with tanks and armoured personnel carriers at around 12 noon to take over the stronghold of the local militants, who had recently killed 17 FC personnel during an ambush in Zargari and occupied the Doaba police station.

Spokesman for the Hangu militants Maulvi Haider alleged that the Taliban had assured the Jirga of not carrying out any attack but despite that the government had moved the security forces against them. He said that clashes had been continuing in Naryab area since Wednesday afternoon.

The operation was extended to Zargari and Tora Warai areas in the afternoon and was likely to be stretched to Darsamand, Mamun Khwar and Shnawaray areas. There were reports that militants had captured a security post in Shnawaray but that could not be confirmed independently.

There were reports that shells had hit the houses of locals in Naryab, Zargari and Tora Warai, injuring at least five persons, including a woman. Several houses were also damaged in the attack. The shelling stopped on Wednesday evening.

“The Army and the police have launched the operation in Naryab, which was later extended to Zargari and other areas to eliminate groups that are threatening peace in Hangu. So far there is no report of any casualty,” District Police Officer (DPO), Mohammad Idrees, told The News from Hangu. The officer said that no hideout had been demolished in the operation.

The DPO and some of his officers, a source disclosed, had received threats from militant groups operating in the area. These groups are angry over the arrest of their seven men and a top commander, the source added.

General Officer Commanding (GOC), Kohat, Major General Ahmad Rabbani, and Brigadier Hilal also visited the Doaba town and reviewed arrangements before the operation was launched.According to a local resident, there are about 200 to 300 militants in different villages of Doaba but the rest had come from the adjacent tribal areas.

Meanwhile, top philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi was not allowed into the Hangu district where he was planning to collect donations for poor people during his country-wide campaign.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Edhi said he was stopped by the security personnel in the Chakkar Kot area in Kohat when he was on his way to Hangu and Kurram for collecting money for the poor people. “We have sent our men to these areas but if my presence is needed, I will land there through a chopper,” Edhi said. He hinted at approaching the militants to put their share of alms.Edhi was also critical of the law and order situation across the country and other problems being faced by the common man.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=16037

Operation against extremists underway in Hangue

Updated at: 1025 PST, Saturday, July 19, 2008

HANGU: Security forces operation against extremists continued for fourth consecutive day in Zargari and adjoining areas in Hangue,

According to sources, curfew has been lifted from Hangu bazaar after decline in tension; however, Doaba area is still under curfew.

The operation launched by security forces against extremist is underway in Zargari, Shanwari, Shamsuddin Banda and neighboring areas.

DG ISPR Major General Athar Abbas told Geo News that so far 10 extremists were killed and several injured during operation. He also confirmed that five security men sustained injuries.

The gunship helicopters along with ground troops of security forces are also taking part in the action.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=49978

Five killed in Hangu chopper, artillery blitz




Saturday, July 19, 2008

By Javed Aziz Khan & Saiful Islam

PESHAWAR/ HANGU: Five people were killed and 21 others wounded in shelling by military choppers and artillery at the hideouts of militants in Hangu as the security forces advanced into the troubled areas after taking control of the Zargari town on Friday.

The death toll in shelling by the Army helicopters and artillery in Zargari, Naryab, Shna Warai, Shamsuddin Banda, Kaga, Samana and adjacent areas during the three days of operation reached 13.

“On Friday morning, the security forces attacked a vehicle carrying alleged militants in the troubled Zargari town. Five passengers were killed while six others sustained injuries,” a source told The News. Five hideouts of the militants were also demolished.

Curfew was still in place in Hangu and Doaba towns. However, the Hangu-Kohat Road was opened temporarily on Friday. A former UC Nazim, Yousuf Khan, said the people were suffering in areas where curfew had been imposed and shelling was continuing.

Mass migration of residents of the affected areas was continuing as the forces moved ahead. Rehabilitation and relief camps were established for the displaced people at the Hangu Stadium and Bagtu.

It was learnt that a clash took place between the militants and the security forces at Shna Warai where the fleeing people had taken shelter in the local government high school. Shelling at the building destroyed three rooms of the school.

Militants’ spokesman in Hangu, Maulvi Haider, claimed to have killed scores of security personnel in fierce fighting in Shna Warai, insisting their men were still in Zargari, giving a tough time to the security forces.

The claim was categorically denied by the government. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the security forces had so far killed 10 militants while only five security personnel were injured. ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said the troops were advancing to other areas after taking control of Zargari.

Militants have threatened to kill three government officials daily, who have been taken hostage, if the operation was not stopped. They claim to have made 49 security personnel and officials of other government offices hostage.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Kohat Range, Qudratullah Marwat, on Friday visited the affected areas of Hangu district and reviewed the security arrangements at different places. Police, along with the Frontier Constabulary, have beefed up security in Hangu Bazaar, Doaba and other towns after the operation was launched on July 9.

The Pakistan Army had launched the operation clean-up in Naryab and Zargari areas of Doaba town on last Wednesday after the local Jirga failed to defuse the tension. Another Jirga is still holding talks with the top government functionaries in Peshawar.

The Hangu district, located 70 kilometres south of Peshawar, is surrounded by North Waziristan, Orakzai and Kurram agencies where clerics have strongholds. Militants frequently move into the district from the tribal areas and escape to their native towns before the police can take action against them.

Hangu, once known for sectarian clashes, has been in the limelight since July 9 when the police launched a crackdown in the district and arrested seven alleged militants, including a top commander. Militants retaliated by taking control of the Doaba Police Station, where over 30 cops were made hostage.

Later, a convoy of the Frontier Constabulary was trapped in Zargari and 17 security personnel, including district FC chief Karim Khan, were killed. Meanwhile, a six-member delegation comprising elected representatives, Ulema and elders of the Hangu district called on NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani at the Governor House, Peshawar, and exchanged views on the ongoing initiatives of the government to maintain law and order in the area.

The delegation, led by Senator Maulana Muhammad Hussain and also including area MPA Mufti Syed Janan, apprised the governor of the difficulties being faced by the residents of the affected areas.

The members of the delegation, however, welcomed the success of the government in restoring its writ in the affected areas and assured their cooperation for ensuring lasting peace and protection and safety of the life and property of the people.

The governor said maintenance of law and order and ensuring complete peace and normalcy in every part of the country was the foremost responsibility of the government. The governor termed the untoward incidents, which had happened from time to time during the recent past in Hangu and its adjoining areas, highly regrettable and said such incidents, apart from causing loss of precious lives and properties, were also badly hampering the ongoing process of development and bringing a bad name to the country.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=16075