Fighting returns to Pakistan's Waziristan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Dec 11, IRNA -- Fighting between security forces and Taliban militants has been reported in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region with army killing four militants, including a commander, sources and local media said Friday.
The army had decaled victory earlier this year months after thousands of troops launched major ground and air offensive against the Taliban militants in South Waziristan.
The army this week started repatriation of thousands of people who fled fighting in the region.
Local TV channels reported that clashes erupted at Sararogha area of South Waziristan Thursday night, killing Taliban commander Asmatullah and three other militants.
Official sources said that four soldiers were injured in the fighting.
Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq has claimed that armed militants attacked soldiers who were escorting displaced persons. He also claimed that the militants inflicted losses on the forces. He also said Taliban abducted three soldiers.
Some four hundred thousands people were displaced from South Waziristan and the army has started repatriation and 100 families have been repatriated so far.
Taliban had warned the IDPs not to return homes as they would launch attacks on the security forces which could harm them.
Elsewhere in Pakistan’s northwest, the security forces killed seven suspected militants in Swat valley in two separate incidents and recovered arms, security sources said Friday.
The army spotted two militants at Charbagh area of Swat and were killed, the sources said.
The sources also said that five arrested militants were taken to various locations for weapons pointation. They planned to escape while making use of thick forest, resultantly they were cordoned and shot dead during ensuing fight, the sources added.
In another incident, a Pakistani soldier was critically injured when an army convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in Orakzai tribal region, state television reported.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30118733
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