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India-Pakistan
Militants target Kohat Tunnel as forces shell hideouts
2008-09-04
Local militants in Darra Adamkhel town on Tuesday fired three rockets at the Kohat Tunnel, causing minor damages to its outer portion while the security forces continued shelling the suspected hideouts of militants on the fifth consecutive day.

Sources told The News that the militants had already taken positions on the hilltops around the semi-tribal valley and were targeting the security forces camps and other government facilities. The security forces also continued shelling the militants' hideouts, forcing the common populace of Sherakai, Bostikhel and other parts of the town to shift to safer places on the day one of the holy month of Ramazan.

Our Peshawar correspondent adds: Tribal Lashkar continued burning houses of Taliban militants and their supporters in the Salarzai Tehsil of the restive Bajaur Agency on Tuesday. Besides burning several other houses, the Lashkar had also set on fire the house of militant's regional commander and chief of his own faction, Karwan-e-Niamatullah, Maulvi Niamatullah, in Salarzai.

The Lashkar set on fire six houses of militants at Ghakhi, Tali, Baro and Nazakai villages of Salarzai.

Our Bara corrspondent adds: Political authorities in Khyber Tribal Agency on Tuesday detained six Jirga members for failing to produce two people wanted for alleged involvement in militancy. Those accused includes Mufti Ijaz, Amir of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) in Khyber Agency and Hazrat Ali, brother of Hazrat Nabi alias Thamachay Mullah, who allegedly represents the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Landikotal Tehsil.

Meanwhile, Tariq Hayat, the administrative head of the Khyber Agency, told media persons that the security forces would continue operation against Ghogakhel tribesmen until those wanted to the administration were handed over to the authorities.
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India-Pakistan
Salarzai Lashkar kills militant in Bajaur to avenge elders killings
2008-08-30
Fed up with the Taliban, being blamed for mass exodus from Bajaur Agency due to the military operation, the tribesmen of Salarzai tehsil in the agency Tuesday raised an anti-Taliban lashkar (armed force) that killed a militant.

The lashkar was raised after three notables including two tribal elders and a cleric belonging to Batmaley village of Salarzai Tehsil, were ambushed and killed by suspected Taliban fighters on Monday near Khar, the agency headquarters.

Reports suggested tribal elders Malik Bakhtawar Khan and Malik Shah Zarin and religious scholar Maulvi Sher Wali were ambushed on their way home after a meeting with government officials in Khar where they pledged to raise a lashkar and sought government assistance towards this end. The government officials and local tribesmen held the Taliban responsible for the killings.

Sources from Salarzai tehsil reported the lashkar, comprising 200-300 volunteers, announced to fight against militants soon after bodies of the three elders were brought to the village. They blamed local Taliban commander Maulvi Niamatullah for the killings and vowed revenge.

Later, the lashkar opened fire on a group of three militants travelling in a car near Batmaley and killed one of them. The other two militants, according to villagers, fled after being slightly injured. The name of the slain militant could not be ascertained but local villagers said he belonged to Mansehra.

The tribesmen's revolt against Taliban fighters is the first of its kind in Bajaur Agency. Salarzai residents may give the Taliban a tough time if the government extended them support. After the killing of a militant by the lashkar, sources said, the Taliban fighters started checking every vehicle at their roadside checkpoints in a bid to capture the residents of Batmaley village.

Meanwhile, the security forces continued firing mortar and artillery shells at suspected militant hideouts in Mamond and Salarzai subdivisions. However, there were no details about casualties suffered by the Taliban. Tuesday was a relatively calm day in Bajaur, as gunship helicopters or jetfighters did not pound Taliban positions.

On the other hand, several displaced families were seen returning to their homes in Bajaur from the relief camps outside agency. Reports of unilateral ceasefire by the militants and their secret talks with the government are a ray of hope for the displaced families.
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India-Pakistan
Taliban to take action against kidnappers
2008-07-13
Local militants in the restive Bajaur Agency have warned criminals against kidnappings. The warning came from leader of local Taliban Maulvi Niamatullah in the Salarzai tehsil of the agency on Saturday. He said those involved in kidnappings were trying to defame the Taliban. He said stern action would be taken against such people. The militant leader said they had assigned their activists in the agency to point out those involved in kidnappings.
So Maulvi, does it have to be the actual guys or are you gonna tell us who it is?
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