Pakistan clears first area in Bajaur military operation, displaced families return home

Pakistan’s security forces have cleared the first of more than 30 areas targeted in an ongoing military offensive in the volatile Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Friday, paving the way for displaced families to return home.

Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali announced that the Tarkho area in Loe Mamund tehsil was now secure, restoring state control after weeks of tension. “Residents may return to their homes, and the government will ensure their protection and support,” he told reporters.

The clearance follows weeks of unrest after talks between tribal elders and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) collapsed earlier this month, triggering renewed military action.

Displacement and return

Dr Hamidur Rehman, a member of the Bajaur Peace Jirga and provincial government representative, said the evacuation was precautionary after reports of militant activity. But he stressed that no fighting took place inside Tarkho.

“Militants fled upon the military’s arrival, leaving the area clear. Tarkho did not witness any military action,” he told Nukta.

Rehman said more than 300 households had fled to camps or sought shelter with relatives but were now being asked to return. “People have started going back to their houses,” he said.

Political pressure

Local political leaders welcomed the clearance but warned of consequences if the wider operation stalls. Maulana Abdur Rashid, head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) in Bajaur, said his party had given authorities three days to complete the task.

“If the clearance is not completed within days, we will announce our future course of action,” Rashid said, adding that families had endured severe hardship in temporary shelters. “We cannot tolerate this life of torment any longer.”

Officials said that, as in Tarkho, residents of other villages will be allowed to return once the military verifies that militants have been pushed out. Rehman confirmed that security forces assured community leaders that multiple areas would be cleared within two days.

A wider offensive

The Bajaur operation, launched on Aug. 11, is targeting more than 30 villages, including Laghrai, Ghanam Shah, Damadola, and Chautara. Authorities imposed a curfew in Mamund tehsil when the offensive began.

The campaign followed a short-lived truce. An earlier operation on July 29 left three civilians dead and 11 others injured, sparking anger among locals and prompting direct talks between the Bajaur Aman Jirga and the TTP. That effort produced a 10-day ceasefire, but after seven rounds of negotiations failed, the military resumed its offensive.

A cycle of conflict

While the latest clearance has allowed the first group of residents to return, many remain cautious about whether stability will last.

Rashid, the JUI-F leader, said tribal communities have heard such promises before. “In the past, the state announced peace after every operation, yet stability never returned,” he said. “The state must take effective measures and guarantee that peace will not be derailed again. Otherwise, we can no longer trust them.”

The military has not disclosed how long the operation will continue. For many in Bajaur, the question remains whether the return of families signals the beginning of lasting peace—or another pause in a conflict that has repeatedly flared back to life.