Eyewitness: Fleeing Waziristan's war

The army began its offensive in South Waziristan on 17 October

Muhammad, a student from South Waziristan, left his home town of Jandola days after the Pakistani army began its offensive in the region.

Here he describes the hardships being endured in the area and his hope that an army success will put an end to the suffering.

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Life became very tough in the last few months in my home town of Jandola.

The army sealed off the entire tribal agency [district] for more than three months and there were constant artillery shellings and bombings by Cobra helicopters and F-16 fighter jets.

The big danger was that any bullet, shell or rocket fired by the army could hit civilians. Civilians faced the same danger from the Taliban.

We, ordinary people from South Waziristan, are against the militancy of the Taliban and al-Qaeda

Many people were killed - both militants and civilians. I saw several bodies of militants near the mountains of Jandola.

After the heavy clashes began, myself and my family moved out of South Waziristan. We made the journey two days after the army operation started. We travelled together with 30 other people.

The journey was tough and people moved with great difficulty. It took us almost three days to reach Dera Ismail Khan and another two to get to Punjab.

We are now staying with my friend's family in Mianwali. They are kind-hearted and look after us.

'Pray for success'

Most of our relatives are now in Punjab. All of them are financially weak. We are farmers, so we are hoping we can sow some crops here to earn money.

We miss our home and we pray for the success of the army, so that we can go home soon.

The killing of Baitullah Mehsud, the supreme commander of the Taliban, was, of course, a great victory.

He damaged not only South Waziristan, but the whole of Pakistan. He allowed foreign militants to come and get trained in South Waziristan.

The militants inflicted massive damage on our home town. They are robbers. They used to steal our animals.

I would like to tell the West that Pakistan is a moderate and positive country.

We, ordinary people from South Waziristan, are against the militancy of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. We hate them and this is the truth coming from our hearts.