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| India-Pakistan |
| Air strikes in South Waziristan kill 17 |
| 2009-10-16 |
| [Dawn] Warplanes hit militants' hideouts and some civilian areas in South Waziristan, leaving 17 militants and some non-combatants dead. According to sources, two planes bombed militant positions in Saam, Khasura, Spinkai, Gorgoray and Tangi Bazay areas. According to local people, one of the bombs hit a cave-house in Spinkai area, killing one Nekum Khan and eight members of his family and injured six others. Security officials said the father of local Taliban leader Noor Wali Mehsud was killed when a bomb hit his house. They said the total number of militants killed in the attack could not be ascertained. Sources said that the number of casualties in the air strikes which started on Tuesday was 26. The town of Sara Rogha which had almost been destroyed during a military operation last year also came under attack on Wednesday. Nine people were killed in an attack on Maulvi Khan Sarai on Tuesday. Houses of two tribal elders, Yaqoob Shah and Allauddin Mehsud, were hit in Shinkai Mela. According to reports reaching here, militants have asked shopkeepers and about 200 people living near Razmak town in North Waziristan to move to safe places. Thousands of tribal people, it may be mentioned, left the area amid reports of an imminent military offensive in the Mehsud area. Security forces are reported to be consolidating their positions and moving tanks and heavy artillery towards Makin and Razmak. Troops are also building strategic roads on Mamo mountains. In Bajaur, troops have intensified action in Salarzai where air and ground offensive was launched on Monday. Local people said that troops backed by tanks and artillery entered the area on Wednesday and set up checkpoints. They were received by elders of Salarzai tribe and volunteers of the local lashkar. Witnesses said that a convoy of more than 80 vehicles had entered Pashet and headed towards Mulla Said and Torget areas. Elders of Salarzai had been asking the government for some time to send troops to the area and have raised a lashkar against militants. Security forces have secured hilltops and other key locations to curtail movement of militants. Meanwhile, helicopter gunships attacked militants' hideouts in Mamond on Wednesday. Five suspected militants were killed and seven others injured. Troops have also claimed destroying several bunkers. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Doc, that would be a war crime. Effective, but a war crime. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-10-16 18:07 |
| #1 the father of local Taliban leader Noor Wali Mehsud ... Another Mehsud? Find every Mehsud, toss 'em all into a sack and toss the sack into a raging river ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-10-16 13:52 |