Fierce clashes in Waziristan: Two soldiers, 3 civilians killed
By Dilawar Khan Wazir
WANA, Oct 22: Two soldiers and three civilians were killed in clashes between security forces and militants in different parts of the South Waziristan tribal region on Friday.
Unofficial reports said that two soldiers were killed when a remote-controlled bomb exploded near the Laddah Fort at Friday noon. Nine other soldiers received injuries in the incident and they were shifted to a military hospital in Wana.
The area is inhabited by the Mahsud tribe. Residents said that soon after the bomb explosion the security forces started intense firing from the Laddah Fort. They said that a woman and her minor boy were killed when their cab came under fire in the area. Her four-year-old daughter also received injuries in the firing.
Army spokesman Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan told Dawn by telephone that only four soldiers were wounded in the bomb explosion. He said that the militants attacked a military convoy in Jandola in which a few soldiers received "minor injuries."
According to reports, the situation at Spinkay Raghzay is also tense as heavy exchange of fire has continued between the security forces and the militants holed up in the mountainous area encircled by the army troops for the last four days.
Residents said that an artillery shell hit the residence of Haji Mian Wali Khan, killing his 22-year-old son Attaullah Khan whereas two of his close relatives received injuries. The injured have been identified as Mahmood Khan and a six-year-old boy Haneef Khan.
Reports of clashes have been received from Asman Manza, Karwan Manza and Makin area of the Laddah sub-division. Security forces pounded various areas with artillery shells to flush out militants from their positions. Helicopter gunships also provided air support to the ground forces.
Residents said that after overnight clashes a temporary ceasefire took effect. However, the fighting again began after a brief lull and till the filing of this report a heavy exchange of fire was continuing between the security forces and the militants in the area.
Officials said that two sub-tribes of the Mahsud tribe had decided that they would allow the security forces to carry out a house-to-house search in the Spinkay Raghzay area where supporters of tribal militant Abdullah Mahsud had been holed up for the last few days.
The decision was taken after the tribal elders held several meetings with the local military officials and the inhabitants of the area. About 2,000 troops have encircled the area.
Under the agreement, the security forces and the tribesmen would enter the besieged Spinkay Raghzay and conduct a joint search operation to flush out militants.
REUTERS ADDS: Security forces pounded suspected militants with helicopter gunships and mortar fire on Friday, but have failed to find the mastermind of the kidnapping this month of two Chinese engineers.
The offensive began at 3a.m. against a suspected militant hideout in Kotkai, close to the scene of recent fighting, said Lieutenant-General Safdar Hussain. "We were told there was a large group of militants," he told Reuters.
"We attacked them with artillery, mortars and helicopter gunships. They split into smaller groups who are now playing hide and seek with the troops in the gullies and ravines." But it appeared that Al Qaeda-linked kidnapper Abdullah Mehsud, a former inmate of Guantanamo Bay, was not among the militants, he said. Witnesses saw troops digging trenches near Kotkai on Friday, apparently in preparation for more clashes with the fighters.
