Get Baitullah, forces ordered

[LahoreEstate]

NWFP governor says full-fledged war against Taliban launched
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched a “full-fledged” assault against the Taliban in the lawless northwest tribal belt and will continue until all militants are eliminated, NWFP Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani said on Sunday.

“The government has launched a full-fledged operation in the tribal areas including Waziristan,” he told a press conference in Islamabad. “Operations will continue till the elimination of the militants.”

Owais Ahmed Ghani said the Pakistan Army had been ordered to carry out a full-fledged offensive against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud and his fighters in South Waziristan Agency (SWA).

“The military and law enforcement agencies have been ordered to carry out a full-fledged operation to eliminate these beasts and killers by using all resources,” Owais told reporters. He didn’t give an exact starting date, but implied that military action had already begun.

Army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told The Associated Press: “The government has made the announcement. We will give a comment after evaluating the orders.” Over the past five weeks, as Pakistan has pursued an offensive against militants in Swat Valley, rumours have swirled that it had plans to go into South Waziristan tribal region to target the country’s most powerful Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud. -Agencies

Our Khar, Bannu, Wana and Mingora correspondents add: At least, 50 militants, including two commanders, and five children were killed when security forces pounded the hideouts of militants with jet fighters and artillery guns in Bajaur Agency, FR Bannu and South Waziristan Agency on Sunday.

In Bajaur, 20 militants, including two commanders, were killed when jet fighters of the PAF blitzed suspected hideouts of Taliban fighters in Charmang, Sheda Shah, Asghar Killay, Chinar in Nawagai Tehsil, Darra Banda in Salarzai subdivision and Garigal in Mamond, sources told The News.

Besides 22 militants, five children were also killed and two persons were injured when artillery shells fired by security forces hit houses at Sor Dagi in Salarzai and Garigal in Mamond Tehsil of Bajaur Agency. The civilian deaths caused anguish in the area and forced the people to start migrating from their villages.

Two militant commanders were also among the dead, but the official sources said their names couldn’t be ascertained. There was no word from the Taliban militants about their losses. The sources added that security forces had entered Charmang, a stronghold of the militants in the agency. They took control of the strategically important locations and established positions on the hilltops.

In FR Bannu, 18 militants were killed when security forces targeted their hideouts in Bakakhel and Janikhel areas with artillery from Bannu Cantonment. Official sources said security forces continued the operation against the militants in the troubled semi-tribal areas of Bakakhel and Janikhel on the fifth consecutive day.

Security forces travelling in a convoy shot dead a youth identified as Hakimullah Shah in Doghawara Sorani area. Miscreants fired three rocket from an undisclosed location, one of which landed at the house of Parvez, slightly injuring his mother.

The second shell landed on the ground of the Government Girls’ Primary School, Lalozai, while the third one fell in the fields. The District Police Officer (DPO), Iqbal Khan Marwar, has imposed a ban on the entry of displaced people from Janikhel and Bakakhel areas.

He warned the local people against sheltering or renting out houses to the displaced tribesmen. Police also arrested 10 tribesmen under the 21 Frontier Crimes Regulation and sent them to jail.

In South Waziristan Agency (SWA), eight militants were killed when jet fighters hit hideouts in Makeen and Spinkairaghzai Kot areas early in the day, official sources said. Also, three civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Angoor Adda.

The sources said a container loaded with Nato supplies was on its way to Afghanistan when a roadside improvised explosive device planted by unidentified miscreants went off at 9:00 am near Barmal area of Angoor Adda, completely destroying the truck and nearby parked vehicles. Those killed in the blast included Muhammad Nauroz Wazir, Painda Khan Kharoti and Jan Gul Salyankhel while Saudal Khan and Noor Wali were injured. The injured were taken to the nearest clinic.

The political authorities confirmed the incident, saying that the incident took place in Afghan territory on the Pak-Afghan border.In Swat Valley, two suspected militants were shot dead at Green Chowk of Mingora while a soldier was killed and three others injured during an exchange of fire between the militants and security forces in Kabal Tehsil.

Another soldier sustained injuries when fired at in Kalla Killay in Kabal.Sources said two suspected Taliban militants were gunned down at Green Chowk. “A brief firing took place in the evening and later we came to know that two suspected militants have been killed,” the sources said.

It was learnt that the people could not identify the bodies. Curfew was not relaxed on Sunday in Mingora and other areas of the valley. Troops continued to patrol the streets in the city.The ISPR in a statement said security forces were consolidating their positions in Kabal area. A search operation was launched in Kabal on Sunday. During the process, exchange of fire took place between the forces and militants, resulting in the killing of a soldier, besides injuries to three others.

As the forces were engaged in strengthening their positions in the valley, search and consolidation operation was also being conducted in Godand Banda, Chuprial and Arkot Qilla areas of Matta.

The ISPR said Wenai-Sijbanr road had also been opened besides firming up positions at Ring contour and heights located east of Chuprial. In this area, a huge cache of arms and ammunition had been recovered from tunnels.

Cordon and search operation was being carried out in Matta town, Loi Namal and Koz Shawar in Matta Tehsil. In Matta town, house-to-house search was being carried out to track down the hiding Taliban militants, the ISPR said.

Four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered between Koz Drushkhela and Sambat areas of Matta. The militants have planted mines and IEDs in parts of Swat valley to inflict human and material loss on security forces.

About the relief activities, the ISPR said three truckloads of rations were distributed among the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in union councils of Sawala Dher, Bakhshali, Garhi Kapora and Jalala. Another two truckloads of relief goods were distributed in Mardan. About 200 displaced families had been shifted from Bisham to Kalam while the IDPs from Kalam were asked to report in Bisham where security forces had made arrangements for their transportation to Kalam.

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