Islamabad - The Pakistani army said Monday it had killed 14
militants during the last 24 hours in the north-western valley of
Swat, where troops have been pushing an offensive against the Taliban
for last seven weeks.
Security forces attacked 'terrorists hideouts' in the Tiligram
area and recovered a 'large quantity of ammunition and explosives,
four IEDs, one 14.5-inch gun barrel and 26 detonators,' a military
statement said, adding that 14 rebels died in the action.
Seperately, the security forces seized 50 mules transporting arms
and ammunition, medicine and rations for Taliban during a search
operation in Banjut and arrested 'a few terrorists.'
Two soldiers were injured in two roadside bombings and an exchange
of fire with the militants elsewhere in the district.
The claims could not be confirmed independently because of the
military restrictions on media in the conflicts zone.
The operation in Swat was launched in late April when Islamist
militants exploited a peace deal to expand their influence to the
neighbouring districts. More than 1,600 rebels have so far been
eliminated while over 100 security personnel have died.
As the military regains control over much of the region, some of
the 1.9 million displaced people have started to return to their
homes, though the Taliban continue low-intensity insurgency.
With the Swat operation nearing an end, the government troops are
preparing an offensive in the tribal region that borders Afghanistan,
mainly to hunt down Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.
Mehsud is blamed for scores of attacks against government and
civil targets. He carries a 5-million-US-dollar bounty on his head as
a key al-Qaeda facilitator.
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