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| Six more militants killed in South Waziristan operation |
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
By our correspondent
WANA: Security forces on Wednesday claimed killing six more militants in South Waziristan Agency as a spokesman for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) boasted of his group’s “successful” guerrilla war against the troops.
A statement of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said six militants were killed when they opened small arms fire on security forces in the Kund Mela area on the Shakai-Kaniguram Road. Five soldiers, including an officer, sustained injuries in the attack. In retaliatory fire, six militants were killed.
On the Jandola-Srarogha axis, security forces continued consolidating their positions in Khazhankai, Adirai Mela, Chagmalai and Siltoi. A roadside bomb exploded near a security patrol, injuring one officer and two soldiers.
On the Razmak-Makeen Road, the troops destroyed eight bunkers in Lita Sar and Blanai Sar areas. A huge quantity of weapons was also recovered during a search operation in Cheena village, said the ISPR.
Azam Tariq, spokesman for the banned TTP, told a news conference at a secret location in South Waziristan that the Taliban never thought of Azad (independent) Waziristan, which was the propaganda of the “pro-US” government in Islamabad.
Only three journalists from neighbouring North Waziristan were invited to a meeting with Azam Tariq at a secret location.
The journalists were picked from Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan, in the morning and were taken to South Waziristan after travelling for five hours.
At one point, they were blindfolded and when the blindfolds were removed, they found themselves in a hilly area amid trees with TTP spokesman Azam Tariq. The three people were hearing sound of artillery fire from some far-off areas and could see military helicopters and US drones hovering.
After attending the news conference for nearly one hour, the three journalists again embarked on the same vehicle and were brought to Miramshah.
The TTP spokesman told the journalists that they would continue fighting the American and Nato troops in Afghanistan. He said the Taliban in Waziristan had no dispute with the Government of Pakistan and the Army, as the people of this region were patriots.
He alleged that the government had risked the country and the people by lending support to the United States and the TTP would continue its war till the US control ended.
He dissociated the Taliban from the blasts in civilian areas and claimed Blackwater was involved in all such attacks. “Look, what it (Blackwater) has done in Iraq with civilians,” said Azam Tariq, adding the security agency was brought into Pakistan under a well-planned strategy.
Meanwhile, the political administration in South Waziristan Agency has ordered more than 4,000 Khassadars from Mehsud tribes to resume their duties as the writ of the government had been restored in the agency.
The officials said families that had migrated to Shakai and Wana would be brought on government expenses to the cities of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.
AFP adds: Azam Tariq said the Taliban’s guerrilla war would expel troops from South Waziristan. “We have not been defeated. We have voluntarily withdrawn into the mountains under a strategy that will trap the Pakistan Army in the area,” the Taliban spokesman claimed.
“The Army claims they have captured most of the towns. This is wrong, in fact we have vacated old forts which we captured from them in previous clashes.
The troops are trapped there and we will retake the area,” he said.
An AFP reporter, who was among those taken to the undefined mountain top, said Azam Tariq sat on the open ground, without a rug or chairs. He was flanked by two armed bodyguards.
This was his first direct interaction with journalists since the military mounted a major offensive on October 17.
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