By IRNA,
Peshawar : Pakistani security forces continued operation against militant groups in a tribal region on the second day on Sunday and destroyed their two more centers, officials said.
The government sent more reinforcement to the tribal
Khyber agency, only a few kilometers away from Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province.
Three extremist groups ‘Lashkar-e-Islam’, ‘Ansar-ul-Islam’ and ‘Amar bil Maroof Wa Nahe Anil Munkir’ had been active in Khyber agency, and involved in internal clashes.
Lashkar-e-Islam fighters, who controlled some roads and small villages, had recently got involved in fierce battle with rival group ‘Ansar-ul-Islam’. Over 20 people have been killed in the clashes over the last two weeks, according to locals.
In-charge of the operation Muhammad Alam Khattak said yesterday that the operation will continue until the ‘gangs of criminals’ are removed from the area and the government writ established.
The operation was launched on public demand, Khattak, the Inspector General of the paramilitary ‘Frontier Corps’ said.
All markets at Bara, a major town in Kheuber agency and famous for foreign goods, were closed on Sunday as the security forces had advised the people to stay indoors.
Officials say that paramilitary force and the police are taking part in the operation and regular army is not involved.
Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas says the operation is aimed at purging the area from terrorists and criminal gangs.
He said that gangs of criminals in Khyber agency had been fighting since long and the forces will expel them.
The army spokesman dismissed the reports as exaggerated that Taliban are knocking at the doors of Peshawar, saying ‘there is no such thing’.
“We will soon clean the area of terrorists,” Abbas said.
Sources said that around 5000 security men are taking part in the operation and 400 more were sent on Sunday.
The government had sent tanks and armoured vehicles to the region to support the ground forces.