ISLAMABAD: Much before the administration of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) asked people of South Waziristan’s five villages — Makeen, Push, Ziarat Spin Kamar and Taby — residents of these areas started leaving their homes late Sunday.
While the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, denied the possibility of further military operations, the FATA controlled FM Radio Razmak aired announcements for locals to move to safe areas.
Razmak Radio made announcements on behalf of Political Agent of South Waziristan, considered the hotbed of militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda.
A Dera Ismail Khan-based journalist Saeedullah Khan Marwat told Arab News that “people have started moving mostly from Makeen village which is the stronghold of Baitullah Mehsud’s tribe.”
He said people in their thousands are fleeing in their vehicles, tractor-driven trollies and even on horse-carts with their belongings.”
Saeedullah Marwat expected a larger exodus to Dera Ismail Khan’s districts of Tank, Kolachi and Dera City. He said a military action is round the corner.
When asked if the armed forces are already using artillery and air power, Marwat said: “This time we expect a more penetrating military operation. Authorities are determined to weed out militants from Makeen which is a territory of deep ravines and protective hills friendly to locals and hostile to invading forces.” Marwat said: “We feel the TTP is launching suicide bombers from this agency. Lately the city of Bannu has been their target.”
He said Hakeemullah Mehsud is the one who is masterminding suicide attacks against civilians and Frontier Corps targets.”
