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| 24 militants, two soldiers killed in SWA action |
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Friday, October 23, 2009
By Irfan Burki & Daud Khattak
WANA/PESHAWAR: Security forces continued consolidating positions in Tor Ghundai and Gurgurai Sar areas without making any considerable advance against militants in South Waziristan on the sixth day of the Rah-e-Nijat operation on Thursday.
The troops have yet to declare Kotkai a secured area to get psychological edge over the militants, as the village is the hometown of TTP head Hakimullah Mehsud and his cousin and lieutenant Qari Hussain, known as the mentor ofsuicide bombers.
Populated by 5,000 to 6,000 people, who have almost all left the area after the launch of the Army action on October 17, Kotkai has been under siege by security forces for the past three days.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 24 militants and two Army soldiers were killed in intense fighting in different areas on the Jandola-Srarogha and Shakai-Ladha axis. Another four soldiers sustained injuries. There was no comment from the Taliban about the casualty toll.
Sources said 12 of the slain militants were foreigners. Their identity wasn’t known. Although Army officials confirmed killing of two soldiers, independent sources put the toll at four. Owing to the disruption of communication lines in the fighting zone, independent sources could not be reached for the exact casualty toll on both sides.
However, displaced people arriving in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan through different routes said Taliban positions were being targeted with artillery, jet fighters and gunship helicopters in Makeen, Ladha and Srarogha.
They said majority of the areas where the troops had reached and which were once considered the strongholds of Taliban had been vacated by the civilians. The troops, the sources said, had almost halted advance onward from Kotkai village in a bid to secure the area before going ahead into the mountainous and forested areas to chase the militants.
The ISPR statement said intense fighting took place in Tor Ghundai on Thursday, which resulted in the killing of 13 militants while the rest fled into the nearby mountains. The troops secured the Tor Ghundai village after the battle.
The statement said security forces were in the process of securing Shishamwam where efforts were on to clear the caves in a systematic way. The area of Mizowam in this sector had been secured, said the statement.
The troops captured the Gurgura Sar area on the Shakai-Ladha axis, and were trying to strengthen positions north of Sherwangai.Militants attacked security forces in Boay Naray, located west of Sherwangai. The attack was repulsed and the fighting left 11 of the attackers dead. One soldier was also killed and three others wounded in the clash that took place on Wednesday night, said the ISPR statement.
Security officials said the troops started patrolling the Torwam-Sherwangai Road after seizing control of the Torwam Bridge, which was under control of the militants since 2007. The ISPR statement said the bridge was the key link between Torwam and Ladha.
Militants fired six rockets on the Razmak Army Camp and the attack resulted in the killing of one soldier and injuries to another. The ISPR said the troops had blocked the Makeen road from the Razmak side. The sources said the troops had to reach the strategic point of Kaniguram after consolidating control in Sherwangai.
However, the Taliban could offer tough resistance in the area. Kaniguram is a high point from where the troops can easily control the areas of Sam, Badar and Chalweshtai. All these areas have almost been fully vacated by families.
The villagers said those areas are mountainous and ideal for fighting a guerrilla war. “That is why the military strategists are biding time before deciding an advance of troops towards Kaniguram on the one side and Srarogha and Makeen from Kotkai on the other side,” said an analyst.
The sources said the troops did not face any resistance during their advance from Razmak, Wana and Jandola to the areas of Sherwangai and Kotkai during the past six days. However, they might confront tough fighting in their onward advance from those areas.
Meanwhile, the displaced people continued arriving in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. Many reaching the two cities were handed over tents and some food but the displaced people complained about lack of help by the government.
A significant number of tribesmen who did not know how to get registered were unable to get tents or food. Most of the displaced people said they preferred to live with their relatives or in rented houses instead of living in tents in camps.
According to the ISPR, a total of 7,184 families have been registered in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan since October 13. Five registration points have been established in the city of Dera Ismail Khan. The government has yet to establish a camp for the displaced people. The tribal families who have nowhere to go are finding it hard to live in the open without having enough food and other necessary facilities.
APP: Meanwhile, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said the Pakistan Air Force would continue its support to the Pakistan Army to eliminate terrorists in South Waziristan Agency.
Addressing the airmen during a visit to a PAF operational base actively engaged in the operation Rah-e-Nijat, Air Chief Marshal Qamar said, “The PAF is proud of its airmen involved in discharging their duties in Operation Rah-e-Nejat.”
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ISSN 1563-9479 
