=> PESHAWAR/MINGORA: After three days of unannounced
PESHAWAR/MINGORA: After three days of unannounced ceasefire in the restive Swat district, security forces resumed targeting suspected hideouts of militants on Monday and took control of tourist resorts including Madyan, Bahrain and Kalam.
Ten alleged militants were also held. Meanwhile, militants led by rebel cleric Maulana Fazlullah claimed responsibility for the Sunday’s suicide blast on military convoy near Mingora in which 13 people, including four Pakistan Army soldiers, were killed and threatened to continue similar attacks.
Senior military officials told The News by telephone from Mingora that gunship helicopters targeted suspected hideouts of Maulana Fazlullah-led militants in Bamakhela area in Matta Tehsil. Besides, artillery and mortar shells were also fired from military camp in Mingora on militants’ suspected hideouts, military officials said. They, however, did not have details of casualties suffered by the militants.
One of the officials confirmed on condition of anonymity that a house of militants’ prominent commander Khan Khitab was destroyed in his native Bamakhela village in Matta Tehsil. Officials said Khan Khitab, military commander of Maulana Fazlullah-led militants, had already been killed.
According to officials, security forces took control of three tourist resorts – Madyan, Bahrain and Kalam – which militants had earlier captured without any resistance from local police and paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC).
Later, local police personnel were given charge of police stations in Fatehpur, Madyan, Bahrain and Kalam. There were also reports that despite heavy snowfall and severe cold in Kalam, a number of residents came out of their homes and welcomed the security forces in the town.
Similarly, officials said, military operation was completed in many parts of Swat, including Charbagh, Gulibagh, Madyan, Bahrain and Kalam where 10 suspected militants were also taken into custody.
Meanwhile, police in Charbagh area defused a 25kg homemade bomb. Also, residents of Gatshwar area in Peochar of Matta Tehsil, where security officials believe militants are still hiding, sent a Jirga of elders to military officials in Mingora and assured them of their full cooperation. The Jirga sought an end to aerial bombardment on their village in which elders complained innocent people lost their lives.
Also, three persons including two children sustained serious injuries in different incidents. A man identified as Khan Gul, resident of Gul Jaba, was injured in aerial firing by security forces. In another accident, two minors, Hamza and Shahjee Rehman, were injured when two motorbikes collided.
They were immediately shifted to Saidu Sharif hospital for treatment. In yet another incident, Rukhsana, daughter of Babu Roshan Ali, a dancer in Banr area of Mingora, was allegedly shot at and seriously injured by Sher Muhammad and Sheena. Local police registered a case against the assailants who fled from the scene after the incident.
Source: The news
Date:12/25/2007
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