Security forces used helicopters and explosions to rattle militants still holed up inside Lal Masjid on Thursday, as the government turned down a conditional offer from the mosque’s deputy chief cleric to surrender. Abdul Rashid Ghazi – whose brother Abdul Aziz Ghazi was caught on Wednesday– told a television channel he was willing to hand over the mosque and its affiliated madrassas to the government department for religious buildings. | “I want to stay in one of the houses behind in the mosque compound with my mother who is sick and with the wife of my brother until I get an alternate place to move to.” |
Minister of State for Information Tariz Azeem dismissed the offer, telling AFP that Ghazi must surrender unconditionally and allow all women and children in the mosque to leave.
Another 38 students surrendered yesterday, taking the total to 1,146 - 745 boys and 401 girls. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said 50 to 60 “hardcore militants” were still inside with AK-47s and petrol bombs. Azeem said the militants planned to use women and children as “human shields”. Security forces kept up a tight ring around the complex and made repeated announcements calling on the militant students to surrender. Helicopters hovered overhead and armoured personnel carriers patrolled around the mosque.
Early on Thursday, loud blasts rocked the mosque as witnesses said security forces blasted holes in the outer walls. Blasts were heard later as well and official sources said they were trying to break the will of the militants holed up inside. Intense gunbattles erupted in the afternoon, with students opening fire on troops and hurling hand grenades. Rangers arrested six men with links to banned militant groups and suspected of planning suicide attacks from near Lal Masjid. The official toll since clashes began is 19 dead and 98 injured. Unofficial figures say 30 have died and 200 been injured.