The naib Amir of Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), Muhammad Alam, and spokesman Amir Izzat Khan, were killed in crossfire between security forces and terrorists in Sakhakot area of Malakand Division, when they were on way to Peshawar for investigation.
Terrorists ambushed the security forces convoy, taking TNSM the detained leaders to Peshawar. Some other detainees and one security forces official were also killed in the encounter, in which militants bore heavy losses when security forces retaliated, Major General Athar Abbas, Director-General, ISPR, said at a news briefing here on Saturday.
Fazlullah has been targeted thrice on intelligence reports, but there is no confirmation whether he is dead of alive, he said. Abbas told reporters that 17 militants had been killed during past 24 hours of the ongoing 'Operation Rah-e-Raast' in Swat and other parts of Malakand Division, and huge quantity of arms, ammunition and other equipment's was recovered from Koza Bandai. Two security personnel were martyred, one each in Tawa and Khawazakhela areas during the operation, he added.
He said that security forces had cleared Koza Bandai and Bara Bandai areas of the militants and had strengthened their position in the area. He added that an Army checkpost has been set up in Koza Bandai. Abbas said that Kabbal and Shamozai had not been cleared and forces were busy in wiping out terrorists from these areas. The communication system on either side of Swat River is in working condition, he added.
The ISPR DG called upon local people to help the security forces to wipe out terrorists by identifying those hiding among civilian population. He said that about 1305 terrorists have been killed, including more than 40 suicide bombers, while 105 security forces personnel were martyred and 105 others were injured. He said that 120 others arrested in the operation Rah-e-Raast so far also included foreigners from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Arab world. There are at least four percent foreign militants in the conflict areas of Swat and other parts of Malakand, he added.
Regarding detention of TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad, the ISPR DG said that ISPR didn't issue any statement regarding Sufi. "Neither Sufi Muhammad was arrested, nor is he in custody of security forces, and we are totally unaware of his state", he said. The ISPR chief said that the security force would stay in the area until the civil administration took over control of the area.