Militants behead two soldiers: Officials
Gunmen armed with rockets attacked a military convoy on Sunday, sparking gun battles near Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan.
The military said nine soldiers were killed in the clashes over several hours and claimed that "heavy casualties" were inflicted on the militants.
Three worshippers were also killed and 15 wounded when a shell hit a mosque near Miranshah on Sunday, security officials and residents told AFP.
The heads of the two soldiers were found dumped without their bodies - one hanging from a barbed wire fence in the neighbourhood of Makane Bagh and the other in Zafar Town, local officials said.
Gunbattles between soldiers and militants are relatively rare in Miranshah.
Pakistan has resisted US pressure to launch a full-scale operation against al Qaeda and Taliban in North Waziristan, which is instead frequently targeted by US drone strikes.
The latest such attack killed at least 10 militants on Saturday, according to Pakistani officials.
The fighting in Miranshah follows the murder last week of a senior Muslim cleric, Maulana Naseeb Khan, who taught at a madrassa near Peshawar where several Taliban leaders studied.
The cleric, who came from North Waziristan, was kidnapped near Peshawar and found dead on Thursday. After his funeral, the Taliban distributed a pamphlet blaming the army and vowing to avenge his killing.
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I read a comment from one of those clever and pious religious leader yesterday in the paper
'No Muslim can kill a Muslim, therefore all the killing in Karachi are yahoud, nasara and qadiyanies.
Brave lot these yahoud, nasara and qadianis are to have penetrated in the heart of that unreachable area now , as these militants are obviously not Muslims as well and are not doing the service to Islam and Allah. Allah have mercy on us and these hapless people be they civilians or military who are losing their lives pointlessly for a cause that can not be in line with Islam to any person with the slightest understanding of the principles of this religion. Allah wake us up to realize what and where have we gone soo wrong to be where we re today
Tragic. Sad. And inhumane.
This is the price we and our security forces have to pay when we allowed criminals / extortionists / thieves thrive in famous 'ilaqa-e-Gheer' for decades - the genetically garbage races under the TTP name is bringing mayhem in Pakistan funded by our enemies.
Still those believe that what happened in 'Lal Masjid' or are against drones must re-visit and tell which side are they with. Pakistan or so called 'Talibans'
May God bless my country and give the people of this country an opportunity to make the right choices and stand up for what they say.
Pakistan Zindabad
No need to worry about these deaths. They did not die at the hands of foreigners but our own strategic assets. All the outrage is reserved for the non Muslims not Muslim killers.
This latest ferocious act of terror gives us another glimpse inside terrorists’ sick mentality. The cruelty that they have shown by beheading two soldiers proves that these barbaric animals deserve no mercy. Their long list of crimes continues to grow, and furthermore, they have the audacity to boastfully claim responsibility for their terrorist activities. On the other hand, we must take responsibility for holding these miscreants responsible for their crimes, and stop conspiracy theories from plaguing our minds. We are only putting ourselves at disadvantage by looking the other way. These terrorists have made it a mission to destabilize the region. We must fully support our forces in targeting these terrorists. We must combine our efforts and go after this menace with full force. We must eliminate this threat that continues to haunt the region.
Our most sincere condolences go to the family and friends of these soldiers in this extremely difficult time. We wish to see the culprits caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent, as soon as possible.
Where is DPC and its associates? Can they make a long march to protect our army? They are doing any thing to stay in media and Cristie others. All these Mullahs never give Fatwa against these killers because they are part of them.
@Roflcopter, any evidence that militants admitted to the killings
May these martyred soldiers rest in peace and may they be granted jannat by Allah SWT.
Is our sovereignity not violated when the Taliban behead our soldiers or is it only violated by drone strikes ?
If the Pakistani writ does not prevail in the tribal areas then we should admit it to the world and let the world deal with these barbarians.
This is a front page news! Why doesn't Taliban beheading soldiers doesn't make front pages news?
So where's the outrage? Where are the protest? Where is the condemnation? I guess it's just another day in Pakistan.
@Justice/Prodemocracy: As a fan of PTI, i can assure that not just PTI/DPC, there`s little sympathy for the army because, all these Drones, WoT is happening because army/government is with America. So, no sympathy, but inshallah, once PTI & DPC come to power, everything will change. Tsunami is coming
May Allah grant jannat to this brave souls and peace to their families left behind. No wonder the army has been resisting to go to north waziristan!! Army officers and generals are paid to fight not play golf, run DHAs, PIAs or make breakfast cereals. Army you are paid to get rid of this menace not play footsie with good taliban, bad taliban. DO your duty. It honorable to die fighting than looking for a golf balls in woods.
Imran khan , PTI, shamefully keep quite on this , Ch Nisar & PML-N, Jamat-e-Islami, DPC and other extremist parties will react that nothing has happend ... no rallies not jalsa...
This act was in revenge of US drone strikes. Ordinary Pakistani soldiers and civilians die after drone strikes while liberals sip their drinks comfortably far away from this. Have drone strikes defeated the taliban?
@Kamal: um. no. He in fact did state a desire to negotiate with them. A number of times. He also referred to them in a 'brotherly' way. He used it in reply to direct questions of how he would deal with them.
The military should avenge this inhuman killings by mounting a full scale operations. Can't understand why all out operations have not been launched so far ?
@antony, the militants admitted the killing. Nice try kid...but you need to try harder. btw are you suggesting your indian courts convict people without evidence? lmao
vasan, simple solution. don't read our comments.
I hear a lot of people here criticizing Imran Khan. Please note that you cannot DEFEAT taliban by fighting with them... if you choose to continue fighting, the blood-shed will continue. Even a super power like USA has not been able to defeat them. How can Pakistan do it?
We need to talk to and negotiate with the Taliban. Take something, give something, use carrot and stick approach, but talk and reconcile. IMRAN KHAN TALKS SENSE.
Else, keep on bleeding.
@Kamal: So when are you (Imran Khan & Co) going to take out a Tsunami March in support of your soldiers and against the terrorists ? Does Herr Kapitan even reads newspapers ? Terrorists are killing Pak Army soldiers almost everyday.
And what is your manifesto - it goes something like this "Mian sahib jaan deyo sadhi baari aan deyo"
But where is the evidence that militants did this killing ? ..Without evidence this will not go further in Pakistan renowned court of Law.
Peace deal must between Taliban & Pk Army for avoiding further bloodshed. The last is peace deal, then why this bloodshed? Army should allow media to visit Tribal areas, so people of Pakistan can be aware the acts of Taliban.
People blaming Imran Khan here are either ignorant or deliberately trying to distort facts. Imran Khan has never said to negotiate with the terrorists.
He has always said to negotiate with the tribal peoples who have sympathy for these terrorists and who shelter these terrorists so that these terrorists could be isolated.
What he also says is to disengage from this War on Terror so we could win our own tribal people back from these scum of earth terrorists.
I hope this would clarify his stance.
I wonder why we should talk to them...Imagine we have a peace deal with them and they are living in our towns and cities...they can never be normal human beings leave a part Muslim or not after what they had done in the past say behead humans...they can kill/behead any one any time to enforce their will..their say...their interpretation of religion or sharia...
Pakistan Army should kill each one of them...Every one of them
Imran Khan zindabad. We should have talks with terrorists and taliban. We should pamper them, cajole them, after all they are our strategic assets.
These militants are paid $$$$$$.
@Skin Taj: Exactly what the Americans think of all factions of Taliban. Pakistan hates TTP but has a soft corner for Afghan Taliban. You can't tell which side the Camel will sit in the future.
Can Pakistanis comment without any of the above for such incidents.
There are Two choices left with us::
Either keep on accepting brutal killing of our brothern like that; or Accept drone attacks on these savages.
Either North Waziristan is not part of Pakistan or Government including military has accepted defeat to restore the writ in that area. After such brutal acts if one has to wait for something else then no one knows what to do. Leave US a side. At least clear the area from such animals who do not deserve to be called as human beings.
We are trapped in never ending loop of terror. Thanks to US next door.
Allah bless the soldiers. even worst enemies show some respect to soldiers
sick animals
It is hight of ignorance that some sects in Islam are not know the reall meaning of Jihad which is leading to creation of such groups. There are historical evidences as well where Islam was used by the KINGS to attack other countries full of resources. I understand that there is only way out whihc is revival of Ijtihad which is still practiced in some countries like Iran.
i hope the ghairat brigade, DPC, Imran Khan et al, will spill on streets in rage against this terrorism against the state of Pakistan
astaghfirullah shame on imran khan, hameed gull etc and their supporters to support negotiation with these animals
the TTP TALIBAN are the scum and a scar on the face of earth *
This is the moderate Islam that Western liberals and Western feminists love to defend so much.
And some Pakistanis still oppose drone strikes.????
And some pakistanis still oppose drone strikes .???????
Did these terrorists think they'll get 72 virgins for beheading the soldiers?
No protest rallies for the beheaded soldiers will take place. Imran Khan will pretend nothing has happened. If only these brave soldiers had been martyred in a drone strike, their bravery would have been recognised. What a dysfunctional lot we have become!
Rushing headlong into the 16th century