Three tribal elders escape from militants’ captivity

LANDIKOTAL :Three out of the seven elders of Mamond lashkar, who had been kidnapped by militants on Monday, escaped from the captivity and reached Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur Agency, on Tuesday.

Talking to media, the escaped lashkar head Malik Bakht Munir vowed that action would continue till complete elimination of militants in Mamond tehsil. He said that threats from the militants could not deviate the tribesmen from their mission to re-establish the government’s writ.

“We saw Chechens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Sudanese and Afghans with militants who are a threat to the region’s peace,” he said, adding that they would not allow anyone to sabotage peace of the area.

On the other hand, the security forces continued artillery shelling and destroyed several hideouts and bunkers of militants in different areas of Mamond tehsil in militancy-hit Bajaur Agency.

Sources said several hideouts and tunnels of militants in Damadola, Umaray, Shinkot of Mamond tehsil and Inyata Killay of Khar subdivision were destroyed when the security forces pounded them with artillery from Khar and Torghundai camp.