Fighting back: Three alleged militants arrested in Mingora

Police claim the accused Afghan, Pakistani men are involved in target killings.

MINGORA: Police officials nabbed three suspected militants, including two foreigners, during a raid in Mingora on Saturday night.

After receiving an intelligence tip-off about the presence of a group of militants in the area, Mingora police conducted a raid in Melagah and arrested three people said to be involved in target killings.

The suspects nabbed by officials were identified as Wahidullah and Sajid, residents of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, and Mohammad Karim, a resident of Shahdara Watkey, Swat.

The police also claimed to have recovered grenades, pistols and ammunition, along with fake identity cards, from the suspected militants.

Cases under the explosives, anti-terrorism and foreign acts were registered against the accused.

“The arrested militants are involved in target killings in Swat and were planning to conduct more. Further interrogation is under way,” a police official told The Express Tribune.

Swat Valley has been in a grip of target killings, with members of village defence committees and pro-government peace militias being targeted.

Political activists and residents welcomed the arrests and demanded more action against militants.

“Law enforcement agencies must beef up security at all entrance and exit points of the valley so anti-state elements do not creep in,” said Zahoor Khan, a political activist in Mingora.

Two peace committee members and a police constable were gunned down while two others were injured when militants attacked their vehicle in Bara Bhandai, Swat last Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2014.