PESHAWAR: Presence of terrorists from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the militant Islamic State group on the Afghan side of the border near Kurram Agency has caused security concerns, prompting authorities to mobilise tribes against the impending threat.
According to locals, the security forces had been firing heavy artillery from their base in Parachinar on the other side of the border, adding that the administration had asked people living in the area to be vigilant at night.
“Barrage of artillery starts after 9pm. It sets off a wave of terror across the region,” said a resident of Parachinar.
Sources said that the IS and TTP (Sajna group) had set up sanctuaries in Keymati area of Afghanistan’s Paktia province, from where they launched attacks on border posts in Pakistan.
Recently two Pakistani pickets were attacked in Borki and Kherlachi areas adjacent to Paktia.
The IS already has a presence in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, which lies to the north of Kurram Agency, and it has established control in some districts.
A security official in Peshawar confirmed the attack on pickets of the Frontier Corps in Kurram.
“Officials say that IS and TTP’s fighters were involved in attacks on the security posts,” said an elder from Borki.
He said people in Borki and Kherlachi had been keeping vigil at night for the past one month after receiving an advice from the administration.
“People are not only keeping vigil during night, but elders of Borki and Kherlachi have also provided four heavy machineguns and ammunition to the paramilitary forces as a gesture of support,” he said.
Sources said that the assistant political agent and the commandant of Kurram Militia met elders of Turi, Bangash and Mangal tribes near Parachinar on Saturday to mobilise tribal people against the threat.
A jirga of elders from Kurram and Afghanistan is likely to be held on Monday to discuss the situation and work out a joint strategy to prevent infiltration from across the border. The jirga is also likely to discuss kidnapping of four residents of Kurram in Afghanistan.
Assistant Political Agent Shahid Ali Khan and Additional Political Agent Naeemuullah were reluctant to offer comments on the issue.
