Civilians killed in Hangu bombing

Published November 19, 2009

The planes accidentally dropped some bombs on adjacent shops and some houses in Shahu Khel area of Hangu. — File Photo

KOHAT Two women, three children and two men were killed when military planes accidentally bombed some houses in Hangu on Wednesday.

In the course of an attack on a seminary, the planes accidentally dropped some bombs on adjacent shops and some houses in Shahu Khel area of Hangu.

Besides the women and children, two labourers were also killed in the attack.

In Upper Orakzai region, four militants were killed and 10 others injured in an air attack on Taliban hideouts in villages of Mishti Mela, Ghiljo and Ghunda Mela. Two camps of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan were also destroyed.

In Shahu Khel area, a Khasadar checkpoint which had been occupied by militants was destroyed.

Soon after the bombing in Shahu Khel, a large number of people protested against the killing of civilians and blocked the Kohat-Hangu road.

They placed the bodies of the women and children in front of the Hangu police station and condemned the killing of innocent people.

AP adds
The participants chanted “stop the killing of innocent people” and “stop this cruelty,” local resident Hashim Khan said. The protest lasted about two hours and then protesters dispersed peacefully, he said.

Hangu is close to two areas in tribal region where jets also pounded Taliban hideouts. Eighteen Taliban were killed, intelligence and political officials said.

The officials said that many militants had fled South Waziristan, seeking refuge in other parts of the tribal region and elsewhere.

Jets pounded two hideouts used by the Taliban, killing 13 suspected militants, the officials said.

Planes also attacked compounds in the Kurram tribal area, killing five militants who had fled South Waziristan, the officials said.

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