PESHAWAR: At least 22 suspected militants were killed in recent strikes in Upper Orakzai agency, as military jets targeted militant hideouts in the area on Sunday.
Jets have been pounding Upper Orakzai agency for the last five days, killing 60 suspected militants so far. Some reports indicate that militants had set up a makeshift hospital in the area to treat their injured.
Meanwhile, the death toll from a suicide bombing and car bomb attack that devastated a busy market town in Mohmand agency rose to 107 on Sunday.
Two victims died overnight in hospital and a third body was recovered from debris as rescue workers in the town of Yakaghund continued to search rubble at the scene.
“We have recovered a body from the debris and two people who were critically injured have also died in hospitals in Peshawar,” Mairaj Khan, a local official at the site, said.
Local government official Rasool Khan confirmed the new death toll.
The explosions on Friday destroyed government buildings and shops and left victims buried under the rubble.
In response to the blast, police in Peshawar have launched a new crackdown on militant suspects in the city. On Sunday city police claimed to have arrested at least 220 suspects during a search operation.
A police spokesperson said that at least 220 suspects were arrested during a crackdown against suspects in different areas. Police said that arms, ammunitions and drugs were recovered from the suspects. The spokesperson said at least 178 suspects were rounded up from the main city circle, while 42 others were arrested from rural areas.
He said the suspects were arrested from Gulshan Abad, Atta Mohammad Ghari, Achar, Mankarao, Nothia, Arbab Landi, Badabher and Bazid Khel areas of the city.
Police said three Kalashnikovs, six rifles, three pistols, seven shotguns, 233 rounds of ammunition and eight kilogrammes of charas were also recovered from the suspects.
On Saturday, police had claimed to have arrested 37 suspects and 10 proclaimed offenders from the city and said they had recovered weapons from their possession.
The crackdown on Saturday was carried out in Shahbkhel, Sultankhel, Mashogagar, Kagawala, Speenkamar, Sarband and Pishtakhara areas in the city’s outskirts.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2010.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ