PESHAWAR – As the latest military action against the militants along the Pak-Afghan border in Mohmand Agency is in full swing, the security forces Saturday claimed making further advances and flushing out militants from Alingar area.
Meanwhile, it has been rumoured that Sangeen, an important militant chief, has been killed in the operation. Some reports also suggest that Qari Shakeel, militant’s top commander in Mohmand Agency, has sustained serious injuries. However, there is no official confirmation of these reports.
The security forces are continuously targeting the extremists with gunship helicopters and artillery in Sooran Dara and other localities. The officials in the political administration say after inflicting heavy human and logistic losses to militants, the ground forces cleared the Alingar area and captured 12 militants. They also seized 15 improvise explosive devices (IEDs) and 200 kilogramme other explosives.
The authorities also claimed that a number of hideouts had been destroyed while the militants were now fleeing the area. No details have so far been gathered about the causalities suffered by the militants on third day of military action in Alingar, Sheikh Baba, Sooran Dara and other parts of the volatile agency. On the other hand, a large number of tribesmen have abandoned the conflict zone and are shifting to safer places within Mohmand Agency.
The political administration has already opened camps in the adjacent area, controlled by the administration. And in Kurram Agency, militants abducted five persons who were heading towards the agency headquarters, Parachinar, and Sada. According to reports, militants stopped a number of vehicles on the route and whisked away the five people. The abducted persons belong to both Shia and Sunni communities from Upper Kurram Agency.
