Two Brigade Groups were sent to occupy the Khajuri Plain, west of Peshawar and south of the Khyber Pass. Their role was to open up the area by constructing roads and strong points. This would help prevent any future tribal infiltration towards Peshawar as well as being a punitive measure, since the Afridis had been accustomed to pasture their flocks on this low ground during the winter months. On 17 October 1930 the British-led force crossed into the Tirah Valley at Bara, six miles from Peshawar, and advanced a further seven miles to Miri Khel. Here a fortified camp was constructed from which operations against the Afridis were conducted. On 16 January 1931, the force was withdrawn, having accomplished its objective.