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Militants kill 26 Pakistani security men

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Aug. 27 ,IRNA -- Militants from Afghan territory attacked several Pakistani border checkpoints in northern Chitral district and killed at least 26 soldiers early Saturday, local media reported.

Police in the region confirmed 12 deaths.

Those killed include Pakistani soldiers and police, who had been performing duties on border check posts, they said.

Express TV reported that 26 Pakistani security personnel were killed in attack by Afghan militants.

Police said militants crossed into Pakistani territory and launched attack on a Pakistani police post at the border area of Arando. The attack prompted clashes between the Pakistani border troops and the militants. Several militants were also killed, they said.

TV channels reported that Pakistani forces also blew up four bridges apparently to foil attempt by the militants to come deep into Pakistani territory.

The clashes resulted in the blockade of main road between Chitral and the border region of Arando, forcing the people to stay indoor, Express TV reported.

TV channels earlier reported that a large number of militants launched pre-dawn attacks on several posts with rockets and heavy weapons. Several rockets landed on the camps of 'Chitral Scouts'.

Pakistani forces also returned fire and inflicted heavy casualties on the militants, reports said. Chitral borders Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.

It was not clear if the Afghan or Pakistani militants had been involved in the attack.

The army says that Pakistani militants have now established bases in Afghanistan’s border regions and launch attacks on Pakistan from there.

Police sources claimed that the attackers looked like Afghans, who returned to Afghanistan after the attack. Pakistan sent more troops to the border.

It is the second attack on Pakistani posts in Chitral from Afghan territory.

Pakistan army said last month that nearly 50 Pakistani soldiers and several civilians had been killed in at least five attacks on border check posts by militants who crossed into Pakistan from Afghan territory.

Pakistan army’s chief spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas says that Pakistani Taliban leaders – Maulvi Faqir, Maulvi Fazalulah and Muhammad Wali, have now established bases in Afghanistan and routinely launch attacks on Pakistani border posts.

Afghan authorities had rejected Pakistani claim and Afghan Taliban denied any involvement in attacks on Pakistani posts.

**1412
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30538318