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269 martyred in Waziristan operations: Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Sept 26, IRNA
Pakistan-Anti-terrorist operations
As many as 269 security personnel have been martyred while 353 terrorists killed in operations against Al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants in Pakistan's North Waziristan agency.

In an interview with IRNA, Colonel Zahid Ali, the spokesman of the forces deployed in the area, said that 710 terrorists had been arrested. Of these, 240 were foreigners.

Of those killed, 175 were from other countries, including Arabs, from Persian Gulf countries and some Central Asian Republics, the military officer maintained.

To a question, he said that the security forces unleashed 23 attacks and during raids four religious institutions were closed down.

Reports say the institutions were either hiding terrorists or terrorist education was being imparted.

The spokesman said that the tribal elders and their
representatives handed over 173 terrorists and their aides.

However, the official said that 40 foreign terrorists made their escape good and no one currently knows their whereabouts.

North Waziristan agency is in the tribal areas of Pakistan, close to the Pak-Afghan border. In this rugged area, security forces have established 761 posts.

Over 70,000 security forces have been deployed along the border to ensure no wanted element crosses the border from either side.

Reports had appeared following the fall of the Taliban regime that remnants of Al-Qaeda and Taliban took refuge in the tribal areas and enjoyed the hospitality of certain locals as well.

The Pakistan military has carried out several operations in the tribal areas to eliminate terrorists.

Locals have been offered concessions if they cooperated in the terrorists' arrest.

Those who did not cooperate were taken to task.

In interviews with a foreign television channel, Pakistan's military officers said that Osama bin Laden, the brains behind Al-Qaeda, was hiding in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan close to the Pak-Afghan border.

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