Pak army achieves progress in operation clean up

The Pakistani army in its recent Operation Clean-up achieved progress in battling against the Taliban militants in the country’s northwestern tribal region of Kurram.
According to security sources, over 100 militants have been killed and dozens of others injured since the operation was launched on July 1 at the request of the local tribesmen. Though the army captured many areas from the militants and destroyed their hideouts militants are showing their strength with surprising attacks on the local people, Xinhua reported on Monday.
The Pakistani army ignoring the U.S. demand to conduct an operation in North Waziristan tribal area accepted the request from the local tribesmen for an immediate military offensive in Kurram.
Before the start of the operation Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan ( TTP) suffered its first split on June 27 when its leader in Kurram, Fazal Saeed Haqqani, detached himself from TTP and announced his new group while speaking against killing of the innocent people, abduction for ransom and actions against Pakistani security forces.
In the second week of the assault, swiftly advancing security forces captured the militants’ stronghold and symbolic headquarter Manato in central Kurram.
Military sources claimed that army’s offensive with the help of gunship helicopters, cannons, tanks, jets had forced militants to escape to Afghan border and neighboring tribal areas of Orakzai and Khyber.
“First we deployed our entire division and then moved the troops swiftly, captured vital points around Manato, and then went for the final assault,” said Brigadier Muhammad Basharat, the officer in charge of the operation.
According to official estimate, around 600 hardcore fighters are active in the area, including about 250 locals and dozens of foreigners.
Official sources told Xinhua that about 12,500 families affected by the operation fled their homes to safe places. About 9, 610 displaced families have taken refuge in their relatives’ homes while 2,934 families had settled at the Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps where food, medical service and clean drinking water are being provided.
Talking about the Operation Clean-up, Pakistani analyst asked the government to set up permanent army checkposts in the region otherwise militants would return to the area after some time.