Curfew Imposed in Bajaur After Clashes

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 1:27 pm under Pakistan News

KHAR, Pakistan News : Authorities on Tuesday imposed a curfew in Bajaur Agency after deadly clashes Curfew imposed in Bajaur after clashes with the Taliban amid rising violence away from the battlefield of a major army assault, officials said.

Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in Khar, the main town of the Bajaur Agency.

“The crossfire continued for three hours. Six militants were killed in retaliatory fire,” Adalat Khan, a local government official said.

“Two civilians were also killed and four, including two women, wounded when a mortar shell landed inside a house,” Khan added.

Armed with rockets and heavy weapons, Taliban militants also attacked the Bajaur headquarters of the local tribal police, he said.

“Some 50 Taliban launched the attack. Troops retaliated, killing six militants,” said a security official based in Khar, adding that two soldiers were wounded.

An intelligence official in the area confirmed the incident and said house to house searches had been launched after the clashes.

“Some electricity poles, a petrol pump and three shops were also damaged,” he added.

Khan said authorities were making an assessment of the losses and that markets, banks, schools and offices were closed.