Five beheaded bodies of the unknown persons have been found at different places around, Mingora city of Swat, while security forces have killed eleven more miscreants including an important militant commander Naseeb-ur-Rehman during the military operation in last 24 hours.
Pakistan Army reinforced by fighter aircraft, helicopter gunships and artillery continued the operation against the militants in Swat and other parts of Malakand Division on 17th day, in which they killed eleven miscreants while four soldiers were martyred and 12 injured during clashes with miscreants. The exodus of population continued in Buner when curfew was relaxed and they were rushing towards the safer places.
The security forces continued artillery shelling and aerial bombardment on suspected hideouts of the militants in surroundings of Buner district in which 14 militants have been killed, defence sources said. Security forces narrowed down the siege of the militants in Lunde Kass in Swat and killed 10 militants in the operation named 'Operation Rah-e-Haq' by security forces.
Pakistan Army and other para-military forces taking part in the operation have cleared the Peochar area of Tehsil Matta of Swat after fierce battle with miscreants and have established firm hold of the area during last night, said a spokesman of inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday.
The locations of the miscreants in Peochar are being targeted, while security forces are busy in consolidation of their positions at the shrine of Banai Baba and Bariam Bridge, the spokesman said. He said that the security forces also cleared the area from Khawazakhela to Bariam Bridge, and road connecting Chakdara and Gulabad.
The spokesman said that the normalcy is returning to Bunner district after military operation against the miscreants and people have started harvesting their crops. Shopkeepers have opened their business centers and people are purchasing essential commodities.
Security forces are making preparations to clear Sultanwas area in Buner district, he added. Three persons including a woman were killed in Kokari area in the vicinity of Mingora when a shell landed in a house, sources said. Meanwhile, intense fighting continued in Mian Hayat Sari in Lower Dir in which eight militants and two security men were reportedly killed.
More than 15,000 security forces personnel, from Pakistan Army and Frontier Constabulary, are taking part in the military operation against the well-armed Taliban fighters in Swat. All the exit roads from Mingora have been closed and troops have surrounded the city to deny any exit to militants, sources said, adding that road to Dir was also blocked as militants were using the route to flee to the adjacent tribal district of Bajaur.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2009

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