People asked to vacate village ahead of army operation

Source: Dawn

People of the village of Tootkas, said to be a hub of militants in Hangu district, were asked to leave the area by Monday because a military operation was to be launched there.




Security forces decided to get the area vacated after local people expressed their inability to form a lashkar against militants hiding in their area. Earlier, the villagers had been given a three-day deadline which was later extended till Monday.



Officials said that Tootkas in Thall tehsil had become a stronghold of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and there had been an increase in bomb attacks on security convoys waged from there over a few months.



There are also reports about presence in the area of activists of the banned Laskar-i-Jhangvi who have kidnapped and killed people of rival sects travelling between Kohat and Parachinar.A large number of Frontier Corps personnel supported by armoured personnel carriers have started moving towards the area.



Local people said that they had been asked to leave the area but the administration had made no arrangements to help them to move to and live in another place in the district.



It is learnt that people have started moving to Thall town. However, some are reported to be against leaving the area.