[The News (Pak) Top Stories] The police arrested two men during raids in Totalai area of Buner district on Sunday, claiming that they were important militant commanders.Sources said a police party raided the house of Mufti Asim in Bagh Khadokhel and arrested him. They also recovered a Kalashnikov rifle, a pistol and ammunition. Mufti Asim, 36, was wanted to the police in different cases.
Another militant commander identified as Ghazan, resident of Zaga village, was arrested from Inayatabad in Totalai. District Police Officer Rashid Khan said Ghazan was wanted to the police in the murder of a cop on April 23, 2009 and snatching official weapons from the Chengalai Police besides torching a police post on April 27, 2009. He added that a Kalashnikov rifle, three magazines and 60 rounds were recovered from Ghazan.
Meanwhile, seven suspected militants were injured and seven vehicles destroyed as gunship helicopters shelled Sikandarkhel area of Tirah Valley on Sunday.The Frontier Corps officials said the shelling also destroyed an ammunition depot and a training centre of militants along with two posts. Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) spokesman Zar Khan Afridi condemned the shelling. Talking to media by phone from an undisclosed location, he said the LI was not in favour of sabotaging peace in Tirah Valley and its activists were not challenging the security forces.
No clash was, however, reported on Sunday between the two tribal militias, Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansarul Islam, which have been fighting for the last five years. The clashes between the two groups have so far claimed around 600 lives besides injuries to hundreds of people and destruction of houses.