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India-Pakistan
Police say clash with Matani militants raised morale
2008-08-08
Police officials are of the view that the force's morale has gone up after a rare kind of clash with militants in Matani Police Station jurisdiction on Wednesday. Militants had attacked a police flag march led by Peshawar police chief Dr Mohammad Suleman, SSP Operations and SP Rural Circle from close quarters and police had to ask for the army's authoritative air cover to escape unhurt. Police called for the army support and tanks, gunship helicopters, and huge contingents of Frontier Corps (FC) and Frontier Constabulary (FC) were dispatched to rescue the police convoy. At least 14 militants were arrested including a union council nazim from whose house police party was attacked.

"Around 25 militants suddenly appeared and opened fire on the police flag march," an official said. Tanks blew up the houses of the accused militants while police party remained unhurt and only three of its personnel sustained minor injuries. "I thought that I could not be able to survive this attack as the militants were in great number and better positioned," a senior officer recalls.

Police asked for help after its flag march came under attack in lawless Matani Town, some 45 kilometres south of Peshawar city. Police captured a vehicle full of ammunition late on Tuesday after a clash with militants and arrested a militant. The same night Matani police station was attacked by the heavily armed militants, which was repulsed.

Police officials say that they received a phone call, demanding release of the vehicle with ammunition on Tuesday, or otherwise, face the consequences. They refused to do so and later militants attacked the police station. They beheaded a man, who was in their captivity and wore him police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) uniform to lure police into their trap. But the police found that none of their personnel was missing. Had they (the police) been trapped at that time, the results would have been disastrous, the official said.

He said that the arrested nazim of Adezai Union Council Abdul Malik was a ring leader in the area and was also behind the murder of DIG Abid Ali, who was gunned down in Sra Khawra area on December 18, 2006 and other attacks on police in the area. According to the police officials, the nazim had an uncanny feature and after happening of a crime in the area, he used to tip-off the police about other people, saying they were behind the incident.

Police sources said that they have registered eight cases including that of terrorism against the arrested Taliban and they are being interrogated. They said that some influential people are pressurising the police for release of the arrested militants and the UC nazim. The Matani area, once famous for kidnappings, came into focus when Bannu Range DIG Abid Ali was gunned down in Sur Khawra area in December 2006 while travelling to Peshawar. However, his murderers have still not been traced. In June 2007, the local Taliban operating in the Darra area forcibly closed down music and CD shops in the Matani Bazaar and bombed a few of them. On 4 July, 2007 they attacked a police mobile and killed four policemen near Spina Thana. One FC soldier was killed and another was injured on 14 February, 2008 in an attack on Kishan Ghar check post, while four personnel were killed and five injured in an attack on Qadir Abad check post on 24 February, 2008. The latest attack was carried out on June 9, 2008 when a police mobile came under attack and four cops were burnt alive by the militants.
Posted by:Fred

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