35 foreigners among 65 killed in NWA

PESHAWAR—Security Forces killed as many as 35 aliens and 30 local miscreants including close associate of an Al-Qaeda leader Tahir Yaldoshove and Commander Chamak in its four-long day offensive being launched in the militancy-haunted North Waziristan Agency (NWA) to flush out Al-Qaeda, Taliban remnants and their sympathizers, sources informed Online Monday.
Pak-Army spokesman confirmed security forces had succeeded in killing atleast 40 miscreants including 15 foreigners in its four-day offensive against Al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants in NWA. The foreigners including Chachens, Uzbaks, Turkmans and Afghanis, he added.
Security forces have also demolished house of Maulvi Sadiq Noor, a close aide of late local commander Naik Muhammad. ISPR spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said while talking to a private TV that terrorists had been rooted out from Khatti Kali, a village in the volatile NWA.
However, he said six other miscreants have been killed during clashes with security forces in another area. Dead body of one miscreant has been taken in custody by security forces while miscreants succeeded in carrying dead bodies of five other miscreants. Suspected militants attacked a roadside security post in a North Waziristan Agency  with rockets and firearms, but soldiers repelled the assault, killing six militants, officials said Monday. The militants launched their assault late Sunday on a post east of Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan region, a security official in the town said. Soldiers returned fire, forcing the attackers to flee, the official said. The body of one attacker was found. Talking to reporters chief of ISPR, Major General Shaukat Sultan said that five dead bodies were taken by other militants and one body was recovered by security forces after shootout. The official said the attackers took the bodies of five other comrades killed during the shootout. An army official in Peshawar, also said six attackers died.
The death raised the number of those killed in North Waziristan fighting between the military and suspected militants in the past week to at least 24, including six soldiers. Military officials said hundreds of Arab, Afghan and Central Asian Islamic militants, suspected of links with al-Qaida, are in the North Waziristan and adjoining South Waziristan tribal regions, which border Afghanistan. The army official in Peshawar said a close aide of Uzbek militant leader Tahir Yaldash was among those killed last week in North Waziristan. He said the information came from a detained militant. Security forces believe Yaldash was injured in fighting with security forces in South Waziristan last year. He remains a fugitive. Also Monday, Syed Zaheerul Islam, the top government administrator in North Waziristan, met tribal elders and Islamic clerics and urged them to cooperate with the government. Maulana Pir Nek Zaman, a lawmaker from a religious coalition, said the tribal elders promised to help the government in maintaining security.
The tribals elders and political administration of North Waziristan Agency have decided that the operation in the restive area of Khat Kalai will be carried out as per traditional norms. Making it a matter of tribal prestige, tribal elders of North Waziristan Agency have urged upon the government to stop military operation in Holy month of Ramadan besides conducting the operation in tribal way. The demand was made in a tribal Jirga held on Monday between Atman Zai tribe and political administration. Several prominent Ulemas of the valley were also present on the occasion.
Political Agent Zaheer ul Islam , MNA Maulana Nek Zaman, Senator Mateen Shah and Maulvi Abdul Rehman were present on the occasion. Zaheerul Islam in his address to the Jirga urged the tribals to cooperate with the government in flushing out the militants from the area.
The militants taking advantage of the restive situation wants to carry out their terrorist activities in the area and are using the people of North Waziristan for their own interest by providing them money. The tribals, he said should beware of the intentions of the militants who want to sabotage the peace of the area for their vested interests.
Addressing the Jirga, Maulana Abdul Rehman said so far 36 military operations have been completed in North Waziristan but the Khat Kalai incident occurred because Ulema and Mashaikh in the area were not consulted before the launch of search operations.—Agencies