Thursday, July 16, 2009

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY July 16, 2009 - Seven Killed In Waziristan Air Strike, Rocket Attacks

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY July 16, 2009 - Seven Killed In Waziristan Air Strike, Rocket Attacks
*Source: DTN News
(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - July 16, 2009: Five militants and two civilians were killed and seven others injured in air strikes and rocket attacks in South Waziristan and the adjacent Jandola region on Wednesday. According to security officials, planes shelled two compounds occupied by militants in Sararogha and Laddha areas of South Waziristan, killing five militants and injuring six others. A Pakistan Military patrol travel past an army tank destroyed by Taliban militants during the recent battle for control of the village of Sultanwas on July 16, 2009 near Dagar in Buner, Pakistan. Thousands of IDPs have started their journey to their homes, under encouragement of the Pakistan government. The Pakistan military is playing a large role in screening returning IDPs and ensuring their safety in the areas that have now been cleared. The village of Sultanwas was the Taliban stronghold in Buner, which according to the Pakistan Military, the scene of a 3 day bloody clash between Pakistan Army and the Taliban. Militants fired several rockets in the village of Khechi in Frontier Region of Jandola. Two women were killed and one child was injured when one of the rockets hit the house of a tribesman. Our Correspondent in Miramshah adds: Columns of infantry units with tanks moved into North Waziristan and a curfew was clamped on several parts of the agency. Witnesses said that hundreds of troops had reached their base in Miramshah, the headquarters of the agency, from Mirali, along with 25 tanks and armoured personnel carriers and over 100 other vehicles. All bazaars and markets in the two towns remained closed. Fifteen tanks were deployed in Mirali. The heavy movement of troops sparked fear in the area. ‘Two helicopter gunships flew over the area and troops fired at every suspected location on their way,’ local people said. According to officials, one soldier was injured when a bomb exploded near the Banda checkpost. Troops defused four improvised explosive devices planted on the Mirali-Miramshah road. The situation in North and South Waziristan agencies started deteriorating after militant groups scrapped peace agreements with the government. Militant commanders Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir, who were in the good books of the authorities, have also severed relations with the government. Our Correspondent in Bannu adds: Two security personnel were killed and seven injured when a joint police and FC patrol hit an explosive device near Bakakhel Mandi in Bannu on Wednesday. According to officials, one FC man was killed on the spot and other died in the district headquarters hospital. They were identified as Rayatullah Khan and Khalid Khan. The security personnel who were injured are: Sher Ayaz, Mohammad Rehman, Ihsanullah, Riffatullah, Shafiq, Munsif Shah and Fahimullah. Three of them were shifted to Peshawar in critical condition. The officials said that security forces had cordoned off the area and launched a search for militants. It may be mentioned that the local administration and the Bakakhel tribe signed an agreement a few days ago to maintain peace and security and prevent attacks on security forces in the area. Tribal elders said the attack on the FC-police patrol was a conspiracy to sabotage peace efforts. Meanwhile, the Bannu DCO and the assistant political agent convened a jirga of the Bakakhel peace committee to review the situation arising out of the attack. They told the elders that the attack was a violation of the peace agreement.

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