Military raid: Jets, helicopter gunships kill 5 militants, 2 civilians
Military jet fighters pounded Lashkar-e-Islam hideouts, officials say.
BARA:
Pakistani jet fighters and helicopter gunships blitzed militant hideouts in the Akka Khel area of Tirah Valley, Khyber Agency, killing five militants and two civilians.
An official of the paramilitary troops in the area said that around 7:00am, two jet fighters pounded Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) hideouts, a banned outfit led by Mangal Bagh in Akka Khel, with bombs.
The bombardment killed two civilians and injured seven, including LI militants.
The official said that following the strike, the militants rushed three injured comrades to an undisclosed location, while the civilians were taken to hospitals in Hangu and Peshawar.
The official identified the civilians killed as Amal Khan and Bashir.
The official added that after the jet fighters bombed the area, two helicopter gunships started shelling Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in the area, which killed five militants and injured several others.
“Two of the TTP hideouts were also destroyed by the gunships,” the official stated.
A strategically important area, Tirah Valley borders Afghanistan and also connects to Bara, which then leads to Peshawar.
The valley has been under the influence of various militant factions, including LI, TTP, and Ansarul Islam, whose members constantly target each other over territorial disputes and sectarian differences.
On the other hand, residents of the valley have little contact with the outside world.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2012.
Pakistani jet fighters and helicopter gunships blitzed militant hideouts in the Akka Khel area of Tirah Valley, Khyber Agency, killing five militants and two civilians.
An official of the paramilitary troops in the area said that around 7:00am, two jet fighters pounded Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) hideouts, a banned outfit led by Mangal Bagh in Akka Khel, with bombs.
The bombardment killed two civilians and injured seven, including LI militants.
The official said that following the strike, the militants rushed three injured comrades to an undisclosed location, while the civilians were taken to hospitals in Hangu and Peshawar.
The official identified the civilians killed as Amal Khan and Bashir.
The official added that after the jet fighters bombed the area, two helicopter gunships started shelling Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in the area, which killed five militants and injured several others.
“Two of the TTP hideouts were also destroyed by the gunships,” the official stated.
A strategically important area, Tirah Valley borders Afghanistan and also connects to Bara, which then leads to Peshawar.
The valley has been under the influence of various militant factions, including LI, TTP, and Ansarul Islam, whose members constantly target each other over territorial disputes and sectarian differences.
On the other hand, residents of the valley have little contact with the outside world.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2012.