August 23, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 20, 1429

KHAR, Aug 22: At least 18 people, most of them militants, were killed and several others were wounded when security forces backed by helicopter gunships continued their attacks on suspected Taliban positions in Salarzai and Khar tehsils of Bajaur Agency on Friday.

On Thursday night, militants’ hideouts in Mulla Syed, Banda, Darra, Batwar and Raghajan areas of Salarzai and Mullah Kalley, Yousafabad and Raghadag areas in Khar were pounded with artillery and mortar shells and bombed by helicopter gunships.

Two militants were killed when helicopters attacked a compound in Salarzai village, sources said. Another attack near the same village injured 11 suspected militants.

The sources said five militants were killed when their vehicle hit a landmine in Thani area of Mamond tehsil.

Helicopters attacked six suspected militants who were on motorcycles in Tang Khata area, about 5km from Khar, killing three of them. The other three escaped.

Two suspected militants were killed in Mulla Kalley, 12km from here.

Helicopters attacked two vehicles on the Khar-Muda road near Tuheedabad, killing five people and injuring six others.

The sources said the vehicles which were transporting displaced people were hit by mistake during an attack on militants. A political subedar and a moharar were among the injured. The injured people were taken to hospitals in Peshawar, Timergara, Dir Lower and Khar.

A man was killed in a helicopter attack on the house of a suspected Taliban supporter in Tuheedabad.