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| India-Pakistan |
| Forces clear areas around Loi Sam and Rashkai |
| 2008-09-28 |
| Security forces have cleared areas around Rashkai and Loi Sam in Bajaur Agency following the killing of 16 Taliban and injuries to 20 others on Saturday, officials said. Government official Iqbal Khattak said the Taliban faced the casualties during clashes with security forces backed by helicopter gunships, AP reported. "The security forces are successfully making advances today," Reuters quoted army spokesman Major Murad Khan as saying. "They have cleared the areas around west and north of Rashkai and Loi Sam areas," he added. Helicopter gunships fired rockets at Taliban positions in and around their strongholds in the Loi Sam and Rashakai areas. Three soldiers, including two army officers, were also killed in the fighting that began on Friday. Separately, security forces arrested 10 Taliban during a search in Darra Adam Khel. Arms and ammunition was seized from their possession, confirmed a statement. Frontier Corps chief Major General Tariq Khan said on Friday that the Taliban had forced families to give up their sons to fight against security forces, AP reported. "All families were asked to give their one male child to the [Taliban] movement, and this was done forcibly, and if a family doesn't do it, their house will be destroyed," Tariq told reporters visiting the region on an army-organised trip. The claim could not be confirmed independently as media access to the area is restricted. |
| Posted by:Fred |