Orakzai Agency: Eight militants killed, trenches destroyed

Security forces claiming to have cleared a mountainous area in Momozai and Khadizai regions on Wednesday.

HANGU: Security forces have advanced into the upper parts of the Orakzai Agency, claiming to have cleared a mountainous area in Momozai and Khadizai regions on Wednesday. Two trenches were destroyed and eight militants were killed. The security forces were backed by artillery fire, which started shelling militant hideouts at 12pm. Within three hours, the area was cleared. On Tuesday, a security official was injured and five militants were killed in skirmishes. The official was taken to Kalaya Headquarters Hospital. A vehicle of the militants was also destroyed, security sources say. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Orakzai spokesperson, Hafiz Saeed, said that the group had inflicted heavy damages on the security forces. The Orakzai theatre has been a challenge because militants from the bordering Khyber Agency infiltrate into Momozai, Khadizai and Ali Khel areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2012.