Pakistani officials recover 14 bodies in tribal region
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, March 18, IRNA -- Security forces in a Pakistani restive tribal region have recovered 14 bullet-riddled bodies on Sunday.
A senior official in Khyber tribal region said that body of the local tribal elder Malik Mehmood has been identified among the slain men.
The security forces recovered the bodies during a search operation in Bara area of Khyber Agency, the official, requesting not to be identified, said on phone from the region.
The official said that all were locals and had been kidnapped three days ago. He said there had also been sign of torture on the bodies.
Official sources said that the security forces are conducting operation against members of the Lashkar-e-Islam group in the area.
The group is accused of attacking the security forces and pro-government tribal elders in Khyber agency, also the main supplyroute to Afghanistan.
Hundreds of troops have been conducting operation in the area for fourth consecutive day.
Some 18,000 people fled their homes in Khyber in October last year amid fears of a fresh onslaught of fighting between the army and militants.
Seven tribal districts near the Afghan border are rife with homegrown insurgents and are strongholds of Taliban and al Qaeda operatives.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80045181
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