Key militant commander among five killed

At least five militants, including a key commander, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Swat district.

Security forces had recently conducted a massive offensive  in the area against radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah and hundreds of his loyalists.

Meanwhile, in the Orakzai tribal region, security forces claim to have killed 10 Taliban insurgents in fresh fighting.

In Swat, an official source said that security forces were conducting a search and clearance operation in the Ser Telegram area of Charbagh sub-division when Taliban militants opened fire on them. Security forces returned the fire and in the ensuing gunfight five insurgents were killed. They included Fazal Rahim, an important commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (Swat chapter).

Rahim was wanted for his involvement in attacks on security forces and other terrorist activities. He was also involved in an attack on a local peace committee in which two tribal elders were killed.

Five AK-47 assault rifles, nine hand-grenades and a huge quantity of ammunition were also recovered during the operation.

Separately in the Manglawar area a local militant commander, Sher Muhammad, surrendered to security forces on Sunday. Sources told The Express Tribune that forces also made some arrests on the basis of information gleaned from arrested militants.

In the Orakzai Agency, 10 militants have been killed in fresh air strikes on Sunday. Official sources said that warplanes bombed suspected bases of militants in the Mamuzai area of northern Orakzai. At least ten insurgents were killed and five wounded in the air strike.

Earlier this month the military claimed victory against militants in Orakzai Agency. However, sporadic fighting continues unabated. And the military is saying that “these stabilisation operations” will continue for some time. The operation in Orakzai was launched on March 24 after intelligence reports that Taliban insurgents fleeing an offensive in South Waziristan were regrouping in the region.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2010.