Tariq Saeed
Peshawar - As the clashes between the insurgents and the security forces continued in the Pakistani volatile tribal belt, a dozen more militants were killed and many others sustained wound on Tuesday in Orakzai and Mohmand agencies. However, the skirmishes also resulted in martyrdom of a man in uniform while two others wounded seriously.
On the other hand the security forces Tuesday claimed to have cleared almost 90 percent area of the Orakzai Agency from terrorists, saying over 600 terrorists were killed and more than 67 security men martyred in the operation. The restive Orakzai Agency which has been in the grip of worst kind of violence for the last couple of weeks, as the reports reaching here said, continued to bleed on Tuesday and a soldier was killed and two others sustained serious injuries when the security forces convoy was ambushed by the miscreants who resorted to indiscriminate firing at Saanda area in Lower Orakzai Agency in the morning. The retaliatory fire by the security forces, according to official sources, eventually left at least six alleged terrorists dead and many others wounded.
Only a day earlier, it may be recalled a road side explosion in Kalaat area of Orakzai Agency had resulted in killing of as many as three people and wounding equal number of others while militants assault on the security forces convoy in Yakh Kandao area in Upper Orakzai Agency last week resulted in martyrdom of a serving colonel of the Pak army and five soldiers.
In the meanwhile, the forces Tuesday struck hard on the militant’s positions in Mohmand Agency Tuesday morning leaving around six militants dead. The forces as the reports said, heavily shelled the alleged terrorist’s hide outs in Kareer area of Tehsil Saafi in Mohmand Agency and destroyed a militant’s den as six trouble makers were gunned down and equal number of others received injuries. In Swat the security forces foiled an attempt of the militants to destroy a government school in Koza Bandai. The school building sustained partial damages. The forces soon after the incident launched massive search operation in the hub of Taliban Imam Dheri and Koza Bandai.
The security forces Tuesday said 90 percent area of the Orakzai Agency was cleared from the terrorists as the operation left over 600 terrorists dead and more than 67 security men martyred in action against the militants.
Briefing media men the Inspector General Frontier Corps (FC) Nadir Zeb said a limited operation was still underway against the terrorists in Upper Orakzai Agency area of Mamozai adding the operation would continue till the time the trouble makers were flushed from the region. He admitted that during the surgery in Orakzai at least 67 personnel of the security forces embraced martyrdom were razed down which were being restored in shelters.
To a query he said clues were found regarding Al-Qaeda presence in Orakzai; however, most of their operatives have been killed or fled the region. He further claimed that the terror activities in the country were planned also in Orakzai Agency but most of the plots were foiled by the security forces well in time. Likewise, he said, as many as 654 terrorists were killed and 250 others injured in the operation adding at least 32000 families were forced to leave their houses.
