Five fight: Two strongholds of militants captured

16 militants, two soldiers killed in skirmish before the gains.

BARA: Two security personnel and 16 militants were killed in crossfire in the troubled parts of Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on Sunday.

Three security officials were also injured during the clash.

Security officials claim to have captured Kismat Sur and Kismat Sanghar, two strongholds of militants in the valley.

The security personnel advanced towards the stronghold of militants in the valley and after exchange of heavy gunfire, captured the area, said a security official.

Some 16 militants were killed in the clash and the rest were forced to flee, who left behind a huge supply of arms and ammunitions, he added.

Meanwhile, ten militants were killed and two security officials injured in a clash followed by gunship shelling in upper parts of Orakzai Agency on Sunday.



The security forces were advancing towards Kismat Sangha area when in an exchange of fire with militants, two officials, identified as Gulfam and Captain Naseem, were seriously injured while four militants were killed, a security official said.

The injured personnel were dispatched to Combined Military Hospital Kohat.

Following the clash, reportedly gunship helicopters pounded militant hideouts in Kago Qamar and Sangak Kandao in the restive parts of Upper Orakzai Agency in which another six militants were killed.

The official claimed that three hideouts of the militants were destroyed in the pounding.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2013.