At least 600 militants from Afghanistan crossed the border into Pakistan and attacked four villages on Wednesday, Pakistani officials said, the latest in a campaign of large-scale raids on civilians and security forces.
Militants stormed the border villages of Nusrat Dara, Kharan, Batoor and Saro Keley in Upper Dir, fighting soldiers and pro-government tribal militia. “According to reports from the villages, between 550-600 militants launched the attack at around 5 in the morning and the fighting continued for several hours,” police official Abdul Sattar told Reuters. Another official said four pro-government tribesmen who fought along with troops were wounded in the attack. Locals said the tribal militia had announced its intent to resist on loudspeakers.
ATTACK REPULSED: Malik Shad Mohammad Khan, the chief of the tribal militia in Upper Dir, claimed the attack was repulsed and around 20 militants were killed in fighting in the early hours of Wednesday. He also said the tribal militia had taken a number of militants into its custody. The militants reportedly blew up three government primary schools with explosives, he said. Most of the militants, however, fled back across the border into Afghanistan after the tribesman repulsed their attack, he added. He said some militants were still hiding in the area and sporadic exchange of fire continued.
