100 militants killed in Bajaur clashes
Friday, September 12, 2008
Arabs, Uzbeks among the dead
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed up to 100 militants in fierce clashes near the Afghan border in Bajaur Agency on Thursday, a security official said.
"Eighty to 100 militants were killed in Bajaur today. Most of them are foreigners," the official said on condition of anonymity. He said the nationality of the foreigners was being ascertained. He said two soldiers were also killed in the fighting.
Mushtaq Yusufzai adds from Peshawar: PAF jet fighters and Army's gunship helicopters on Thursday continued pounding suspected militant hideouts in the restive Bajaur Agency, killing dozens of suspected militants, including foreigners, and destroying a big market housing a militant centre in Inayat Killay.
There were also reports that 80 militants were killed in the daylong bombing by planes and mortar and artillery shelling by the security forces.Military authorities said the FC and the Pakistan Army succeeded in retaking Rashakai, Tang Khatta and a strategically important location, Loisam, from the militants, thus cutting supply line to the militants from the rest of the country.
They said fresh clashes started on Thursday when the militants hiding in the roadside maize fields opened fire on the troops. The soldiers were moving towards Loisam from Khar and Siddiqabad.
The troops, when came under fire, called for air support and sources said two jet fighters and a similar number of gunship helicopters quickly reached the scene. Military officials said they had received confirmed reports that several Arab and Uzbek fighters were fighting alongside the tribal militants affiliated with Baitullah Mehsud-led defunct Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against the security forces.
Major Murad, a spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) based in Rawalpindi, told The News that more than 12 militants, including Arabs and Uzbeks, were killed in Tang Khatta village near Loisam.
He said they had received reports that dozens of militants were killed in the bombing and mortar and artillery shelling, adding that they had learnt from militant intercepts that several foreigners were injured in the aerial bombing by jet fighters and gunship choppers.
Major Murad said a number of Arabs and Uzbeks were also killed in the fighting with the security forces on Wednesday near Rashakai and Tang Khatta villages.Military authorities said the troops faced tough resistance near Tang Khatta, Rashkai and Loisam areas where an Afghan Taliban commander, Qari Ziaur Rahman, was leading the foreign fighters against the troops.
Residents of Salarzai subdivision, where the tribesmen had raised a 'Lashkar' that burnt militants' houses, recovered three bodies which they claimed were of the security personnel gunned down by suspected militants.
Abdullah, a self-purported spokesman for Afghan Taliban commander Qari Ziaur Rahman, phoned The News from an undisclosed location and claimed that their fighters were still in control of Rashkai, Tang Khatta and Loisam areas.
He claimed that seven civilians, including women and children, were killed when a mortar shell hit a mud-house near Tang Khatta.Tribal sources told The News that two fighter jets bombed the Gole Market at Inayat Killay bazaar, where the militants had reportedly set up their centre for holding meetings. The market was levelled to the ground.
The residents said there were 200 shops in the market, including bargain centres, cloth and mobile phone shops in the markets.Meanwhile, the people complained that continuous curfew for the past eight days in most parts of the troubled region was causing them acute hardships.
"The markets have been closed for the past several days, causing food shortage in the area. The government and particularly the military authorities should take note of the problems being faced by the tribesmen," remarked Mohammad Ikramullah, a resident of Siddiqabad village near Khar.
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