The ongoing targeted operation in Bajaur district was making steady progress, securing key transit routes and forcing militants to retreat from long-held strongholds, while thousands of displaced families have begun returning home under state protection.
Authorities emphasised that Bajaur’s strategic location as a gateway to nine districts of Malakand division and parts of Mardan made timely intervention critical to prevent militants from spreading further into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Had the threat not been contained in the upper reaches of Bajaur, the wider region would have faced serious security implications,” an official noted.
Security forces have so far cleared 11 of the 36 affected areas, allowing over 3,000 families to resume normal life. Militants, officials said, were compelled to abandon populated centres such as Damadola and Kitkot, long regarded as militant bastions, and retreat towards areas close to the Afghan border. Sanitisation of these locations is under way to ensure the safe resettlement of residents.
Damadola, located seven kilometres from the Afghan border, has historically remained a militant hotspot and came under international spotlight in 2006. Officials expressed confidence that with continued momentum, remaining pockets of resistance would be cleared ahead of winter, making Bajaur a model for other districts facing similar threats.
This operation marks the first time that authorities pursued an area-wise strategy in close coordination with local communities. Beginning July 30, notables were engaged for two weeks of negotiations, during which they endorsed the state’s responsibility to protect life and property and authorised security forces to restore writ of the state.
When militants refused to vacate, residents agreed to temporary relocation to minimise casualties and property damage. Around 21,000 families left their homes, with 8,200 sheltered in government facilities and 12,800 accommodated by host communities.
Officials underscored that the administration prioritised swift resettlement, citing the return of residents to six villages in Tarkho within five days of their displacement on August 21, followed by the reopening of six more areas on September 8.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to completing the operation in cooperation with local communities, restoring peace and stability in Bajaur, and ensuring the dignified return of all displaced families
