BUNER, June 8 Militants have reportedly blown up a government college, a government high school and two bridges in Buner district on Monday.
Local people said militants were making a last-ditch attempt to halt the advance of troops by blocking roads and blowing up bridges.
They said Taliban stormed the degree college in the Jure area in the morning and destroyed it by placing explosives inside it and another building adjacent to it.
They also said Taliban blew up two bridges on the Daggar-Jure road near Badigram and another on the Pir Baba-Jure road near Bazargay, local residents said.
According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), a top-ranking Taliban commander, Ghulam Khaliq, was killed during an encounter in Dambar Sar area on Monday.
Two of his aides, Saleem, said to be an expert in making explosive devices, and Sher Zada, were also killed in the clash.
Troops are advancing towards Jure from Daggar and Pir Baba, but militants stopped their advance for some time near Elai and Kattkalla.
When the two-pronged attack resumed, soldiers overrun Elai, heading towards the Torwarsak village. On the other side, troops have cleared Bhai and Kalakhela villages and are heading towards the Chaar village. “Jure, a strategic area and home to the Salarzai tribe, is a stronghold of militants. Militants recently carried out the first-ever beheading in Buner when they killed a man named Habib Khan in Buner on charges of spying for security forces,” sources said.
A few days ago, they said, militants had destroyed the houses of Major Sher Mohammad Khan in Bazargay village and a member of the Special Branch Amerajan Khan in Torwarsak.
Troops, backed by helicopters and artillery, continued targeting militant hideouts in Kattkalla, Elum and Karakar areas from their base camp in Jowkhela.
Soldiers are also advancing in the north towards Kalabat village on their way to Klalil Kandow, which links Buner and Swat.
According to local people, troops are also advancing towards Beshonai and Dokada, which links Buner and Swat via Sheratraf.
Troops are also advancing from their camp in Daggar, in the north-east, to Bagra in Gokand valley towards Kalil in a bid to cut off the valley from two sides.
Iftikhar A. Khan adds from Islamabad According to the ISPR, troops killed another 21 terrorists in Malakand on Monday.
Three terrorists were killed during a search operation, on a tip-off from the populace.
Security forces carried out another search operation in Bara Banda, Shahdhand Banda, establishing a link at Damber Sar. One terrorist was killed during the clash. Security forces also established a link at Shakardara.
During a clash with terrorists at Ambela near Buner, troops killed Ghulam Khaliq, a terrorist 'commander', an explosives expert, Salim, and Sherzada.
Abdul Sami Paracha adds from Kohat Security forces captured at least eight hideouts and major camps of militants in Darra Adamkhel. Six militants were arrested during the operation on Monday.
Soldiers initiated an artillery attack on militant hideouts in the Darra Adamkhel on early Monday morning. The troops then rushed to Akhorwal, Shni Kalay, Tandikhel, Bostikhel and Sheraki areas.
Officials said that the main objective of the operation was to deny an opportunity to militants to gain a foothold in the area. The militants tried to launch a rocket attack on the cantonment and the city, which were now under the control of security forces.
Six militants, including three non-locals, were rounded up from different areas.
Since August, troops have secured 90 per cent of Darra Adamkhel. They have also set up several posts in hills around the Orakzai Agency, effectively curbing the movement of militants and their ability to launch attacks.
Officials confirmed that some top leaders of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in the Orakzai Agency had fled to Waziristan in anticipation of a military operation.
According to officials, the militants had carried out, suicide attacks on military convoys, police and checkposts in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Kohat and Hangu.