Tens of thousands of residents have fled Pakistan’s remote Tirah Valley in recent weeks after mosque announcements urged families to evacuate amid fears of possible military operations against Islamist militants, according to local residents and regional officials.
The mountainous valley, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, has seen large-scale displacement as families move into nearby towns despite heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, and difficult terrain. Residents said the warnings, broadcast from local mosques, created widespread fear of imminent fighting.
Gul Afridi, a shopkeeper who fled the area with his family, said the decision to leave followed direct announcements in local mosques.
“The announcements were made in the mosque that everyone should leave, so everyone was leaving. We left too,” Afridi said after reaching the town of Bara, about 44 miles east of the valley.
Local officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said thousands of families have relocated and are now being formally registered for humanitarian assistance in surrounding towns.
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The Tirah Valley has long been a sensitive security zone and is known as a stronghold of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist militant group responsible for repeated attacks on Pakistani security forces.
Pakistan’s government has not formally announced any evacuation order or confirmed plans for a military operation in the area.
Earlier this week, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif denied that any military action was planned in Tirah, describing the population movement as a routine seasonal migration driven by harsh winter conditions.
However, a Pakistani military source with direct knowledge of the situation disputed that explanation. Speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to brief the media, the source said the relocation followed months of consultations between tribal elders, district officials, and security agencies.
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According to the source, militants were operating among civilian populations and exerting pressure on residents, prompting authorities to encourage temporary civilian relocation to reduce the risk of harm during “targeted intelligence-based operations.”
The source added that there had been no preparation for a large-scale offensive due to the region’s mountainous geography and severe winter weather.
Pakistan’s military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Interior Ministry, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government did not respond to requests for comment.
Residents strongly rejected claims that winter alone caused the displacement.
“No one left because of the cold,” said Abdur Rahim, who relocated to Bara earlier this month. “It has been snowing for years. We have lived there all our lives. People left because of the announcements.”
Afridi described a dangerous journey through snow-covered roads and severe food shortages, saying the evacuation took nearly a week to complete.
“The roads were blocked with snow, and supplies were limited. It was extremely difficult for families, especially children and the elderly,” he said.
The Tirah Valley has historically been affected by militancy, military operations, and displacement cycles linked to security crackdowns in Pakistan’s northwest. Its rugged terrain and proximity to the Afghan border have made it a strategic but volatile region for decades.
While authorities insist no full-scale offensive is planned, the continued movement of civilians and ongoing intelligence operations suggest heightened security activity in the area.