K & P

Unrest in Mohmand Agency: 11 troops and 24 militants killed in clashes

Security officials say the clash started when about 150 Taliban attacked 5 Frontier Corps checkposts.

Manzoor Ali December 25, 2010

PESHAWAR:

At least 35 people, including 11 security personnel and 24 militants, were killed when Taliban militants attacked security checkposts in the Mohmand tribal region early on Friday, security officials said.

At least five soldiers and 12 militants also sustained injuries in the clashes, officials said.

A security official in Peshawar told The Express Tribune that the skirmishes happened early on Friday, when around 150 militants attacked five security posts in the Baezai and Safi tehsils of Mohmand Agency.

The official said that security forces repulsed the attack forcing the militants to retreat, leaving behind 24 bodies. The official said that security forces were targeting suspected militant hideouts in the area.

According to local sources, the militants targeted Baidmani and Ghanam Shah checkposts in Baezai sub-division and the Ziarat post in Safi tehsil.

They said that the area where the attacks were mounted is situated some 50 kilometres north of agency headquarters Ghalanai. They said Alingar checkpost is situated close to the border of Bajaur Agency and Baidmani is close to the Pak-Afghan border.

Sources said that security forces have recovered the bodies of seven soldiers.

Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohmand chapter spokesperson Sajjad Mohmand phoned local reporters and claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Sajjad claimed that at least 12 soldiers were killed in the attack and that they had taken two soldiers hostage. He said that the bodies of six soldiers were also in their custody. However, a security official denied this.

Earlier this month, more than 40 tribesmen were killed and scores of others injured in twin suicide attacks in a political administration office enclave in Ghalanai. In addition to this, militants continued their attacks on schools in the agency situated in the north of Peshawar.

Though the militants are facing the heat of military action in other parts of the tribal belt and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, they are still posing a threat to law and order in Mohmand Agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2010.

COMMENTS (10)

Romm | 13 years ago | Reply Well done USA! But every ACTION has REACTION but OPPOSITE in Direction!

Azman | 13 years ago | Reply Hallo Pakistanis, Don't you have any love, honor, respect for you country ? Every moment these terrorists are dishonoring each and every suras of Koran. Have murdered and maimed thousands of innocent men, women and children and still doing. Every moment these terrorists are violeting the sovereigenty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. You have elected by vote your own govt. but these terrorists by violance and death want to rule you. Yet you talk of India and USA violeting sovereigenty of Pakistan. Pls wake up and act before you reach the point of YOUR no-return.