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25 militants killed: BBC: Clerics announce Sharia in S Waziristan

Staff Report

WANA: Tribal clerics announced the enforcement of Sharia (Islamic law) in South Waziristan on Friday, saying that feuds and tribal enmities would now be resolved through Islamic laws instead of the tribal jirga.

Eyewitnesses and tribal elders told Daily Times that the announcement was made during Friday prayer sermons in Wana and other towns of South Waziristan. “We are glad to announce that an Islamic judge will decide cases from now on and not the jirga,” a cleric in Wana was quoted as announcing. The announcement was made following letters from local Taliban commanders to all prayer leaders asking them to enforce Sharia here, a tribal cleric said. “We were under great pressure from the commanders to announce the enforcement of Sharia in Waziristan,” he said.

He said that the announcement effectively “buried” the role of tribal elders, vesting “hand-picked clerics” with absolute power. This will “strengthen the Taliban’s influence in the area”, the cleric said.

Meanwhile, security forces conducted operations in Miranshah and Mir Ali in North Waziristan Agency and seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition in the operation, a military statement said. “The security forces also busted a terrorist planning and organisation centre established in the hostel of the Madrassa Gulshanul Uloom, run by Maulvi Abdul Khaliq, near Miranshah.”

Daily Times Monitor adds: However, BBC quoted officials as saying that Pakistani security forces killed 25 to 30 militants and destroyed a heavy cache of arms dumped there during the attack.

AFP adds: Meanwhile, security forces relaxed curfew restrictions and reopened key roads in North Waziristan on Friday after deadly clashes last week, officials said. Residents said that tribesmen who had fled their homes amid heavy fighting were seen returning to Miranshah and nearby towns after the Army opened the main road.

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