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India-Pakistan
12 Taliban surrender, six killed in Bajaur
2008-11-11
Thirteen Taliban fighters were killed and several others injured in the army operation in Swat and Bajaur on Monday.

According to the army media centre in Mingora, five of the Taliban, including a local commander, were killed in clashes in Moragai and Shalkho areas of Matta tehsil, while another two were killed in a separate clash in Swat's Kabal tehsil.

AFP quoted officials as saying that the remaining six were killed in Bajaur's Sewai and Damadola areas when jets bombarded Taliban hideouts. "The bombing destroyed their underground hideouts, and so far six deaths have been confirmed," local administration official Jamil Khan told AFP.

In a separate development, 12 Taliban commanders surrendered to the political administration, at a jirga of Otmankhel tribes in Bajaur Agency on Monday, officials and locals told Daily Times. Frontier Constabulary officials said the commanders had assured the jirga and the political authorities that they would not side with the Taliban in future. Locals said the jirga was held in Khar, where tribal elders handed over the 12 wanted individuals to the political authorities. Salarzai and Mamoond tribes also held separate anti-Taliban jirgas in Bajaur on Monday.

APP reported that security forces also targetted Taliban positions in Zorbandar and Sabagi areas of Khar, but there were no casualties. Security in Khar has been put on red alert following reports that suicide bombers have entered the headquarters of Bajaur, NNI reported.

Blasts: Separately in Salarzai area of Bajaur, a bomb blast killed one man and destroyed a guest house; while in Mamoond tehsil, a remote-controlled bomb injured four people.

Free Taliban: Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said an abducted Chinese engineer would be set free when the authorities released all 50 militants on a list given to Malakand DIG Tanveerul Haq Sipra. He also demanded the release of another 25 Taliban in exchange for three kidnapped policemen.

Also, an ISPR spokesman has denied media reports that US jets bombed Tirah Valley on Sunday.
Posted by:Fred

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