BAJAUR: A three-day curfew has been imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district as authorities conduct a targeted operation across 27 areas in the Mamund tehsil. The operation, set to begin at 11am on August 11, will last until 11am on August 14.
All residents in the affected areas have been asked to stay indoors, with authorities warning that violations of the curfew will be at the residents’ own risk. A notification issued by the KP government outlined the restrictions, which also included the blocking of roads in the region.
In preparation for the curfew, hundreds of families fled Mamund to seek safety in other parts of the district and beyond. The district administration responded by vacating 107 public schools and colleges to accommodate displaced people, while a camp of 450 tents was set up at Bajaur Sports Complex.
Additionally, the authorities have instructed farmers to harvest maize crops planted within 100 meters of roads within three days due to security concerns. The measures were described as precautionary steps, given the volatile situation in the region.
The escalation comes after months of heightened tensions in Bajaur. A peace jirga involving tribal elders and members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) failed to reach a breakthrough, despite efforts in its seventh round of talks. The primary point of contention between the parties was unresolved, resulting in a deadlock.
As the curfew went into effect, concerns over increasing violence in the region remained high.
In recent months, several attacks, including the killing of security personnel and civilian casualties, have sparked widespread objections from locals. The conflict has escalated in the area, with several bomb blasts and rocket attacks occurring in recent months.
