Clash in Kurram, kill 15 Militants

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 4:56 pm

Pakistan News: The insurgents could have fled a military operation in South Waziristan, and were seeking to carve out new safe-havens in other areas of the semi-autonomous tribal belt that runs along the Afghan border.

The clash took place after militants attacked a security check post on Monday in the Tindo area of Kurram tribal district, more than 200 kilometres southwest of Peshawar.

“Terrorists attacked a security forces post in Tindo area, which effectively retaliated,” a statement from the paramilitary Frontier Corps said.

“During an encounter between security forces and terrorists, 15 terrorists were killed and several others have been injured while eight security personnel received minor injuries,” it added.

Mountainous Kurram district bordering Afghanistan has a history of sectarian tensions, but had until recently been spared the violence that has plagued much of the tribal belt, which is outside direct government control.

But as about 30,000 Pakistani troops backed by fighter jets move across South Waziristan trying to dismantle the Taliban’s long-standing bases, officials say that the militants are trying to regroup elsewhere.

“In recent weeks there are some groups who fled the Waziristan operation and are trying to operate in Kurram,” said a local security official who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The military launched multiple assaults on Taliban havens last year. Their statements about militant death tolls are impossible to confirm independently as the areas are out of bounds to reporters and aid groups.

Clash in Kurram, kill 15 Militants

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