Islamabad: Advancing from three directions into the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan, the Pakistani
troops today surrounded a key militant base, killing 25
terrorists in intense fresh fighting in the restive region.
Kaniguram, a base for Taliban and Uzbek militants, had
been surrounded from three directions and troops are making
progress in Operation 'Rah-e-Nijat' (Path of Salvation) faster
than expected, chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas
told reporters.
"In the last 24 hours, 25 terrorists have been killed
in South Waziristan Agency and a huge cache of arms and
ammunition has been recovered. Security forces' losses are
five soldiers injured," Abbas said.
However, troops advancing from Razmak in North
Waziristan on the 12th day campaign, continued to face stiff
resistance and the heaviest fighting was reported from there.
A dozen militants were killed and a soldier was injured during an operation to secure the Zar-e-Sar feature on this front, the military said.
Troops consolidated their positions on heights and conducted search and cordon operations in Nawazkot, an important Taliban base. Fifteen militant bunkers and positions were destroyed during these operations.
Soldiers advancing from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mehsud's hometown of Kotkai, which was captured last week, secured heights overlooking the militant base of Sararogha, Abbas said.
Eight militants were killed and three soldiers injured
during an operation to secure an important road junction and a
height on this front. Troops advancing on a third front from
Shakai had surrounded the militant base of Kaniguram.
They also secured an important feature that overlooks
Kaniguram and the town of Karama, which is a stronghold and
training centre of foreign militants.
Five militants were killed and a soldier was injured
in fighting around Kaniguram.
Intercepts of militant communications showed that
Taliban commanders Waliur Rehman and Qari Hussain, the trainer
of suicide bombers, are in South Waziristan and controlling
operations by the militants, Abbas said.
However, there was no specific information about the
whereabouts of Hakimullah and it was not known if he was in
the region, he said.
Troops had also not captured any senior Taliban or
foreign militant in Waziristan so far, he added.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, who was also
present at the news briefing, said Pakistan would not accept
any pressure from the US to shift its troops from the Indian
frontier to the border with Afghanistan.
"Pakistan does not need any sort of assistance or
guidance from anyone abroad. This is the prerogative of the
commanders of our forces. They will decide when and where they
need forces. Of course, we have a hostile country on our
eastern border. We cannot vacate our eastern border," he said
in response to a question.
Bureau Report