Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government issued a statement that apologizes for the civil casualties caused by an anti -terrorism operation in the Katlang area of the Mardan district and said he was investigating the incident.
Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities during the past year, especially in KP and Baluchistan, after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan proscribing ended its fire with the government in November 2022.
According to the press release, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Saturday “based on credible intelligence with respect to the presence of armed militants” using a remote hill in the area as a hiding place and a transit point.
“The operation successfully neutralized several high -value objectives linked to current militant activities in the region,” said the statement.
“Unfortunately, subsequent reports have confirmed the presence of non -combatants, including women and children, on the periphery of the target area, resulting in tragic civil victims,” he added.
The government described the development of “immensely painful and unfortunate” and emphasized that all efforts are made to avoid collateral damage during such operations.
“However, the complex land, the deliberate tactics of militants to embed into civil populations, and war fog can sometimes lead to unwanted consequences.
“The Government extends its deepest condolences to affected families and meets the affected families in this moment of pain.”
He added that immediate measures were being taken to “investigate the circumstances surrounding the civil presence in the area, extending medical assistance to the injured [and] Facilitate relief and compensation for victims families. ”
“The security forces undertake to maintain the highest standards of operational conduct and remain focused on eliminating threats while preserving civil security,” the statement added.
“The sacrifices of our people do not forget, and we are still united in our resolution of peace and safety in KP.”
The protests explode in Swat for ‘Stron Strone’
Swat Mpa Dr. Amjad Ali uploaded a video statement to his Facebook page today, claiming that the operation was a “drone attack” in which nine civilians were killed.
“This morning, a tragic incident took place in the Katlang area, where a family belonging to the Gujjar community was beaten in a drone attack,” said the legislator.
“Nine people were martyred in the strike, which until now have been identified and some children are still missing. The bodies are difficult to identify due to their condition,” he added.
Dr. Ali continued: “I want to ask the federal government and the authorities: what criminals did these people committed? These people spent won in the mountains and come from Swat. These mountainous areas on Swat and Mardan are connected.
“The real problem is that we are not allowed to enter the area and collect the bodies,” he added. “They told us: ‘You will not collect corpses, you will not film videos here.’ These people were Swat locals, it is not as if they crossed the border.
“These are peaceful people who have lived here for thousands of years.”
Meanwhile, the members of the Gujjar community organized a protest in the SWAT district of KP today against the incident. Protesters said similarly Dawn.com that the incident was a drone attack and that nine people belonging to the same family were killed.
The protesters blamed the security forces for carrying out the strike, which claimed the lives of the shepherds who had temporarily established themselves in the Katlang area during the winter before their annual migration back to the top of Swat in the summer with their cattle.
The deceased, all belonging to the Gujjar community, were identified as Bilal Hazrat, Noor Muhammad, Wazir, Amroz Khan, Shahazada aka Shah da, two women and two children.
The relatives of pain placed the bodies on the SWAT highway, blocking both lanes in a demonstration that demands justice. A heavy police contingent was deployed on the scene to maintain order.
Jannat Gul, a relative of the victims, said Dawn.com“Nine people were killed in an unmanned aircraft strike in the Katlang area.”
Lasting the tragedy, he added: “We are a community of Pacific Pastor dedicated to seasonal migration. We move to lower regions in winter and return to the upper Swat in summer to graze our animals. We only carry small sticks to serve our cattle and Hagua to cut the grass.”
Jalat Khan, leader of the Gujjar community on Swat, requested justice and urged the government to compensate for the afflicted families under the martyrs’ package. He warned that if their demands were not met, “the entire Gujjar community will take to the streets after Eidul Fitr.”
The protesters also pressed to the authorities to register a first information report on the murders, threatening more demonstrations and another block of the Swat highway if their call to justice was ignored.
February saw a marginal increase in terrorist attacks, but a strong increase in civilian casualties, according to a report published by the group of experts based in Islamabad, the Institute of Conflict Studies and Security of Pakistan (PICS).
According to PICSS, the country witnessed 79 terrorist attacks last month, which resulted in the death of 55 civilians and 47 security personnel, while 45 civilians and 81 security personnel were injured. Meanwhile, security forces intensified anti -terrorist operations, eliminating 156 terrorists, injuring 20 e arresting 66, he said.
