PESHAWAR: The security forces using artillery and helicopters attacked hide-outs of suspected foreign militants in Shakai, killing 10 of them, a senior security official said on Tuesday. The troops attacked two hide-outs in Shakai, a village in South Waziristan which has been the scene of several army operations in recent weeks, said the official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity. Military spokesman Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan confirmed the attack on militants' hideouts, but did not give details on the number of suspects killed.
The army inflicted unspecified casualties on the militants, the spokesman said. He said militants had been "flushed out" from the area. "Flushed out means that they have either been killed or pushed out," he said, declining to say how many fighters had been killed or wounded. "They (the militants) suffered fatalities," he added. "They have lost the heights which they have been occupying and now security forces occupy them." Shaukat Sultan said a suspected foreign fighter carrying rockets and a rocket launcher had been captured in Tuesday's operation.
"What's with the rocket launcher, Mahmoud?"
"Elk season coming up, I wanted to get ready." |
Behroz Khan adds: Heavy fighting and bombing by the Pakistani fighter jets was reported in Santoi and Mantoi areas of the South Waziristan Agency on Tuesday amid reports that the security forces were narrowing the circle around militants resisting the advancement of army and paramilitary troops. "Heavy bombing is going on in Santoi and Mantoi valleys and reports reaching Wana suggest that noose around the militants has been tightened," said Muhammad Noor, a local journalist based at Wana.
| Yeah, we heard that one before. |
However, no details about casualties and damage to property were immediately available. But locals said that both sides seem to have suffered heavy losses. No official confirmation of the claims was available till filing of this report. "About 80 to 90 fighters are believed to have been trapped in the area and the intensity of fighting shows that the situation is grim," said a local source requesting not to be named. The army, the source said, used F-7 fighter jets and pounded hide-outs of the militants with regular intervals. The heavy bombing, the source said, was indicative of the fact that the security forces faced stiff resistance and thus resorted to bombing to weaken the resistance by destroying bunkers and hide-outs of the foreign fighters. The security forces have taken control of almost all the high peaks in the area and the advancement towards Dand area, where heavy fighting is reported between the warring sides, was under consideration. Witnesses said the security forces pounded the surrounding hilltops and Dand area with heavy guns from the Ziaray Noor Army Colony and Tiarza aimed at dislodging the entrenched militants.
Meanwhile, a Jirga of the Ahmadzai Wazir held at Kari Kot area decided to hand over four persons each from the Karmazkhel and Malikkhel sub-tribes of Ahmadzai Wazir to the political administration today (Wednesday), as the two most wanted militants, Maulvi Abbas from the Malikkhels and Javed Khan of Karmazkhels, still refuse to surrender to the government. The government has charged the two among others, with giving protection to foreign nationals, who are blamed for the ongoing insurgency in South Waziristan.
The Jirga, presided over by Malik Noor Ali Karmazkhel, would take up the issue of opening roads with Political Agent Asmatullah Gandapur when the eight tribesmen are surrendered to the authorities. Roads to Wana and other parts of the agency are close for all kinds of traffic and the economic blockade of the area continues. "Only the roads will be opened in reward for surrender of the eight tribesmen, while thousands of shops and business centres would remain sealed until both sides agree on some sort of arrangement to resolve the issue," said Muhammad Noor. On the other hand, a detainee, Malik Noor Ali, who had been sent to the DI Khan Jail under the collective responsibility, has been freed on a seven-day parole to negotiate peace with his tribesmen and help resolve the issue, which lingers on since March. Another Jirga is scheduled to meet at Wana today (Wednesday). |