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Fierce fighting rages between Lashkar, Taliban
[The News (Pak) Top Stories] The tribal lashkar in Doog Darra area of Dir Upper district Thursday killed two militants, including a key Taliban commander Maulana Naeemullah, in fierce fighting on Thursday.Maulana Naeemullah was one of the top three local commanders, who facilitated the foreign militants to entrench in the area. There were also reports that several militants suffered injuries in the fierce clashes, triggered by the armed villagers' attempt to torch the house of an important Taliban commander Maulana Zakirullah at Chinar area. Thousands of armed villagers have been trying to drive the Taliban militants out of the area for the last 25 days but the fighting escalated during the last five days in which 13 persons, including 10 militants and three lashkar men, were killed and several others sustained injuries. The villagers claim to have killed 45 militants in the conflict so far. Local and lashkar sources told The News that the fierce fighting started on Wednesday evening when the lashkar fighters attempted to torch the house of Maulana Zakirullah.The lashkar has torched or destroyed around 60 houses of the alleged Taliban members and their supporters in the area. "Some 16 fighters of the lashkar were trying to set on fire the house when around 12 militants attacked them," a resident of Miana said, requesting anonymity. The clash resulted in the killing of three members of the lashkar while two others received serious injuries. The slain lashkar members were identified as Ahmad Khan, Muftahuddin and Badshah. Sources said the fighters of the lashkar killed a Taliban commander, Maulana Naeemullah, along with another unidentified militant. The bodies of the militants could not be removed from the scene of the fighting and were lying in Chinar area till Thursday evening. Locals said that the slain commander was the mastermind of the Taliban arrival and entrenchment in the mountainous Doog Darra. His death was a setback to the militants, who are now holed up in Ghazigay village after having retreated from other places. Another militant who was killed in the fighting could not be identified. "His body was placed for identification," a resident told The News by phone. Dozens of Afghan and non-local militants are believed to be hiding in the area. Posted by: Fred 2009-07-03 |
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