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Clashes leave 24 militants dead in Orakzai, Kurram
[Dawn] Pakistani troops killed up to 24 militants in gunfights after insurgents attacked checkpoints in tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, officials said Friday.The violence was concentrated in the districts of Orakzai, where the military has been waging a nearly three-week offensive against the Taliban, and Kurram, which has a tradition of sectarian unrest and militancy. The deadliest clash took place in Bezot Khel village in Orakzai overnight. "Troops killed 15 militants in a gunfight which started after an attack on a checkpoint," local military spokesman Major Fazlur Rehman told AFP. Rehman said the troops captured four militants wounded during the fighting and that three soldiers were also injured. Local administration official Sajjad Ahmad confirmed the incident and casualties. The military has announced a running death toll of more than 100 militants in the Orakzai operation since March 24, but the figures cannot be verified independently because access to the remote area is extremely limited. The military said troops killed nine militants and wounded 10 others in Kurram, after the rebels stormed their checkpoint at Dogar village. Militants left behind a cache of arms, explosives and equipment while fleeing, it said. Posted by: Fred 2010-04-10 |
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