Peshawar- Bara-based militants warned local tribesmen today against leaving the area, a move aimed at using the local population as human shields.
Local and official sources confirmed that militants made announcements on the radio, warning that they would take over and blow up the houses of those who leave the area or pledge support to the government, reported a private TV channel. The militants have already destroyed the homes of around 30 of their own fighters, including two militant commanders, who had surrendered to the authorities. Earlier, key commanders of the outlawed militant group Lashkar-i-Islam (LI), Hafi Faqeer and Malam Khan, had surrendered to the security forces along with more than 80 of their men. Today's threat followed the political administration of Khyber Agency's three-day deadline to the militants in the Jamrud and Bara areas to lay down arms and surrender or face a full-fledged operation. Pamphlets containing the message and deadline were dropped from helicopters into the Jamrud and Bara areas of the Khyber tribal region two days ago. The latest operation was launched amidst 'Zarb-i-Azb', a full-fledged military operation being conducted by the Pakistani military against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in North Waziristan tribal region.