Rise in Taliban activities around Peshawar

Peshawar, May 11 (ANI): Taliban activities are surging in and around Peshawar after the Swat operation began, as traders staged a protest against what they call the government's failure to curb the increasing incidents of abduction.

A suicide attack, bomb blasts, rockets attacks and several kidnappings for ransom have been reported in the first 10 days of May.

Suspected Taliban fired six mortar shells on Adezai village in the precincts of Mattani Police Station late on Saturday. There were no casualties, the Daily Times reported.

Late on Friday, suspected Taliban blew up two markets in Adezai. At least 16 shops were destroyed in two blasts. A member of a local lashkar (tribal militia) was also killed.

Five alleged Taliban were killed in a clash with police in the precincts of Chamkani Police Station on the same night, while a police official was injuried.

Also on Friday night, the Taliban blew up the shrine of Sheikh Baba in Regi area. It was the second attack on a shrine in the provincial capital in recent months. The shrine of Sufi poet Rehman Baba was destroyed in March this year.

The Taliban threatened doctors in Peshawar hospitals against wearing western clothes, and three rockets were fired at the Peshawar Airport.

On Thursday, Taliban destroyed two CD shops in the limits of Bhanamari Police Station, and damaged another three. On Wednesday, an electricity pylon was blown up in the precincts of Urmur Police Station and the owner of Asia Pipe Store was kidnapped. Two other people were kidnapped on the same day.

On Tuesday, a suicide car blast ripped through the Bara Qadeem checkpost on the border with Khyber Agency, killing at least seven people and injuring 48.

Residents of Regi village fear more attacks as number of shrines are situated in the area. A resident told Daily Times while requesting anonymity that Taliban from Bara and Jamrud visit the Regi village and had sent threatening letters to the caretakers of another shrine. (ANI)