The military has successfully brought to a close a massive offensive in Khyber tribal region, effectively flushing out militants and blocking their crossing points on borders with Afghanistan, according to government and security officials. But, the officials said, questions remained whether the military gains in the plains of Bara and upper reaches of Tirah valley could be sustained over a long period in the absence of administrative and auxiliary support systems. The military formally brought Operation Khyber-2 to a close on June 15, significantly enough, on the first anniversary of Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan. Successful conclusion of operation is a good news but at the same time the bad news is that the leadership of the terrorists including the notorious Mangalbagh has taken refuge across the border in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. The TTP and Jamaat-al-Ahrar have also reportedly shifted to the Afghan province across the border. There were reports last week of fighters loyal to IS having seized substantial territory in Nangarhar. Mangalbagh has supposedly joined the group. The army has achieved the victory at a substantial cost in terms of the loss of officers and men, particularly in the strategic Tirah Valley. Elimination of the terrorists from Khyber was considered crucial for the security of Peshawar as terrorist attacks inside the capital city of KP were orchestrated by the networks operating from the adjacent Agency. After the terrorists defeat in Khyber Agency, the number of attacks on Peshawar has come down substantially. From this point onwards, the post-operation challenge is a familiar one: the military can hold and secure terrain, but it will only ever return to some semblance of long-term normality if the civil administration is allowed to function — and if the civilians show some ownership of the project. Administrative control of the Tirah tehsil has traditionally been done from Bara, a situation that must change if Tirah is to be stabilised.Perhaps a road-building project into Tirah would also go a long way in creating long-term stability in a region.
pk.shafaqna.com
