Source Dawn
Four miners, who were kidnapped from Darra Adamkhel along with their 12 colleagues, have been released from kidnappers but they are still trapped in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency owing to blockade of routes in the tribal region, according to sources.
They said that the kidnapped miners were released from the custody of their captors by a tribal lashkar of Kokikhel on August 17. “They are still in the protection of Kokikhel tribe but they cannot be shifted to Peshawar as it is feared that warring militant
groups may kidnap them again,” sources said.
The 12 other kidnapped miners were released few days ago after reportedly payment of huge ransom. The trapped miners include Fazl-i-Haq, Raheemullah, Bakhzada and Taimoor Khan. Their unconditional release is attributed to an operation conducted by Kokikhel tribe in Tirah valley against militants.
The arrival of the victims to their homes was being delayed owing to several reasons, sources said, adding they had been taken far deep into Tirah valley unlike their 12 other colleagues.
“Now they cannot be brought back to Darra Adamkhel or Peshawar through Bara due to safety reasons. There are several armed groups that can try to kidnap them again,” said tribal elders. The elders of Kokikhel tribe have decided to take the released miners to Afghanistan and bring them back through Torkham border to Peshawar and hand them over to government.
It may be recalled that Tariq Afridi group of Taliban Pakistan had allegedly abducted 16 miners from Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel on the night of June 10 and whisked them away to remote Tirah valley.
Twelve of the victims were released after 67 days of captivity following successful negotiations among militants, mine owners and Kokikhel elders. The released miners were found in the same place from where they had been kidnapped in Darra Adamkhel. The Kokikhel elders negotiated on behalf of the victims with Tariq Afridi group and also destroyed some of his camps in Tirah valley, according to local sources.
The political administration of Darra Adamkhel, however, told Dawn that all the 16 abducted miners had been released and sent to their homes in Shangla district.Later, it was said that four of kidnapped miners had been freed by militants in Khyber Agency and they would reach their homes within 24 hours. But they are still in Khyber Agency.
Four miners, who were kidnapped from Darra Adamkhel along with their 12 colleagues, have been released from kidnappers but they are still trapped in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency owing to blockade of routes in the tribal region, according to sources.
They said that the kidnapped miners were released from the custody of their captors by a tribal lashkar of Kokikhel on August 17. “They are still in the protection of Kokikhel tribe but they cannot be shifted to Peshawar as it is feared that warring militant
groups may kidnap them again,” sources said.
The 12 other kidnapped miners were released few days ago after reportedly payment of huge ransom. The trapped miners include Fazl-i-Haq, Raheemullah, Bakhzada and Taimoor Khan. Their unconditional release is attributed to an operation conducted by Kokikhel tribe in Tirah valley against militants.
The arrival of the victims to their homes was being delayed owing to several reasons, sources said, adding they had been taken far deep into Tirah valley unlike their 12 other colleagues.
“Now they cannot be brought back to Darra Adamkhel or Peshawar through Bara due to safety reasons. There are several armed groups that can try to kidnap them again,” said tribal elders. The elders of Kokikhel tribe have decided to take the released miners to Afghanistan and bring them back through Torkham border to Peshawar and hand them over to government.
It may be recalled that Tariq Afridi group of Taliban Pakistan had allegedly abducted 16 miners from Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel on the night of June 10 and whisked them away to remote Tirah valley.
Twelve of the victims were released after 67 days of captivity following successful negotiations among militants, mine owners and Kokikhel elders. The released miners were found in the same place from where they had been kidnapped in Darra Adamkhel. The Kokikhel elders negotiated on behalf of the victims with Tariq Afridi group and also destroyed some of his camps in Tirah valley, according to local sources.
The political administration of Darra Adamkhel, however, told Dawn that all the 16 abducted miners had been released and sent to their homes in Shangla district.Later, it was said that four of kidnapped miners had been freed by militants in Khyber Agency and they would reach their homes within 24 hours. But they are still in Khyber Agency.
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