By DPA,
Jalozai Camp (Pakistan) : Many of the thousands displaced by fighting between the military and Taliban in north-western Pakistan began returning Monday to their homes in parts of the Swat Valley.
Authorities transported families from tented camps set up in the districts of Nowshera and Charsadda, located close to the Buner district which was overrun by the Taliban in April, prompting a government offensive.
“We have so far dispatched 108 families and the process will continue through the day,” said Tahir Orakzai, a government official looking after the operations at the Jalozai Camp in Nowshera.
But the displaced people appeared reluctant to return. Vehicles taking them back home were half-empty.
The UN stressed last week that the return of refugees must be voluntary.
“As soon as the first convoy safely reaches Swat, other people in the (Jalozai) camp will be encouraged, and this will also allay their fears about the security situation in their hometowns,” Orakzai said.
The Swat Valley, a former tourist haven, and its adjoining districts had been under the control of Islamist militants, led by local radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, before the government launched an offensive in April.
More than two million people fled the scenic mountain region as the fighting intensified. Nearly 85 percent of the refugees have been living with relatives or in hired accommodation while around 280,000 remain in makeshift camps.
Contingents of police were escorting the refugee convoys to the battle-hit areas, from where the military, backed by attack helicopters, would provide security cover.
“Enemies of Pakistan will be looking for chances to hamper the return, but we have put in place a comprehensive security plan along the entire route,” Colonel Nadeem Ahmed said.
The military also deployed vehicle scanners to search buses and trucks moving towards Swat.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced Thursday the plan for the phased return of displaced people to areas cleared of militants.
The two-month offensive was widely supported by political parties and the public, besides earning praise from Islamabad’s Western allies.
More than 1,600 Taliban fighters have been killed in the operation, according to the military, which also claims to have recaptured most parts of Swat and its nearby districts. However, isolated clashes are continuing between troops and the Taliban remnants.