Security forces kill 15 militants in Upper Orakzai

PESHAWAR: At least 15 militants were killed and 10 injured when fighter jets pounded militant hideouts in Upper Orakzai Agency on Friday, security sources said.

Sources said that warplanes targeted militant hideouts in Ghotak, Akhund Kot and Bhermela areas and flattened at least six hideouts.

Security forces have been conducting an operation in the area since April. They have claimed killing hundreds of militants in both Lower and Upper Orakzai agencies but the number of fatalities could not be independently verified as the region is out of bounds for journalists and relief workers. Security forces have claimed that Lower Orakzai Agency has been cleared of militants.

Meanwhile, eight people, including four policemen and two children, were injured in Bagatu area of Hangu district, police said.

A remote-controlled device targeted a police mobile belonging to Rescue 15 at Bagatu Chowk on the Thall-Parachinar-Hangu road. The police mobile was damaged in the attack injuring policemen who were identified as Azizullah, Sadiq, Abdul Aziz and Mohammad Raziq. A Hangu-bound private Suzuki van was also damaged, causing injuries to its driver and two girls and a woman who were travelling in the bus.

Following the attack, district police launched a search operation in different areas of Hangu and Tull districts following the attack in which 56 suspects were arrested.

An official of Tull district police DSP Mir Chaman Khan told reporters that 22 people were arrested from Tull, while 34 suspects were held in Hangu district. Police sources said that they had also arrested the mastermind of bomb attacks in Hangu and Tull districts but did not disclose his identity.

Earlier, security forces claimed to have arrested Hafiz Rais, who was allegedly working for militants from Samana area of Hangu district.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2010.