Officials in Bajaur Agency on Friday confirmed that at least 15 personnel of security forces had gone missing during ongoing clashes with militants in the Batwaar area of Salarzai tehsil.
Sources across the border in Kunar province of Afghanistan told Pakistan Today that many of these hostages had been beheaded and their heads had been displayed to local people. Per details, some officials in political administration of Bajaur Agency confirmed that 15 personnel of security forces went missing in the clashes that erupted six days ago in Batwaar. A spokesman of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan told the media a couple of days ago that they had abducted and killed 15 soldiers of security forces during the clashes.
Officials also confirmed missing of 15 personnel and have been so far tight-lipped about their fate. However, Afghan sources confirmed that some of them had been killed by the militants. The militants across the border in Afghanistan claimed that a number of personnel were still in their captivity and arrangements were being made for their parading before the media.
So far, officials have confirmed the killing of 10 security personnel in clashes with militants in Batwaar.
The officials also confirmed the killing of four volunteers of a peace lashkar. According to them, more than 50 militants have been killed and their dens demolished in retaliatory action.
Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Sirajud Din sent AFP a video showing a militant commander posing with 12 heads arranged on the ground. “Praise be to God that the mujahideen in Bajaur Agency have managed to kill the infidel soldiers of Pakistan,” he says. “Many of them were killed by bullets, 12 of them as you see have been beheaded, you see 12 heads here, and more heads are on the way.” The commander is flanked in the footage by armed men including one wielding a huge axe.
15 troops go missing following Bajaur clashes
