GHALANAI: Ten suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Shunkrai area of Mohmand tribal region on Saturday night, the military’s public affairs wing said, adding that the clash took place when they were trying to sneak into Pakistan from Afghanistan.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Sunday that a group of 10 to 15 militants tried to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan at about 1.30am. Troops manning a post near the border spotted the intruders and surrounded them.

An intense exchange of fire took place for about an hour which left 10 suspected militants dead.

Officials said some of the militants fled the area during the fighting.

Local administration shifted the bodies to the agency headquarters hospital in Ghalanai for identification.

Witnesses said the dead aged between 25 and 45 years. After the post-mortem, the bodies were buried in a local graveyard.

Our Correspondent in Tank adds: Bodies of two suspected militants were found in Gomal area of Tank district on Sunday, police said.

Local people saw two bullet-riddled bodies in Raghzai village and informed the police.

A police official said that computerised national identity cards (CNICs) were seized on the bodies. Identified as Mohammad Nasim and Ataullah, the two men according to the CNICs hailed from Mehsud area of South Waziristan.

The bodies were taken to the district headquarters hospital.

An official claimed that the deceased had affiliation with Sajna group, an offshoot of the banned TTP.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play