LAKKI MARWAT: Armed tribesmen came out of their houses in Landidak area of Bannu district on Thursday after receiving information about the presence of terrorists there.

Officials and locals said that Sardikhel tribesmen in Landidak swung into action when they came to know that terrorists had infiltrated into their area. “After receiving reports about militants’ presence, announcements were made from mosques asking tribesmen to come out of their houses,” said a local elder.

He said that the tribesmen vowed that they would not tolerate presence of terrorists on their land. He said that armed tribesmen patrolled the rural area in search of terrorists.

Locals said that two days ago, terrorists had kidnapped a Frontier Constabulary soldier and a resident of the area, who had come to his village from abroad.

They added that in a counter action the tribesmen had made two terrorists hostage.

An elder said that the FC personnel and villager were freed by their captors in exchange of terrorists caught by tribesmen. “After the incident, a tribal jirga decided that they would not permit terrorists to infiltrate into their land,” he claimed.

He said that the jirga also decided that the tribesmen would launch action against terrorists if their presence was noticed in the area.

Meanwhile, a local leader of Awami National Party Faheem Azad Wazir asked the federal and provincial governments to focus on improving law and order in the region.

He said that the tribesmen had no option but to stand up against terrorists for their own security. “The government should tell where it writ is if tribesmen take up arms to fight terrorists,” he questioned.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2025