Pakistan: Army claims control in Wazirstan standoff
Peshawar, 6 March (AKI/DAWN) - Pakistani security forces say they have regained control of government buildings and installations after a fierce military battle with the pro-Taliban fighters in Miramshah, the regional headquarters of North Waziristan, the tribal area on the Afghan-Pakistan border. The army says that about 50 militants were killed in the fighting, which some observers say is the fiercest so far in the region. However, there were also reports of sporadic clashes continuing and civilians trying to flee the area.
Last week, reports said that pro-Taliban forces had taken control of government buildings in Miramshah.
After clashes between the Pakistani security forces and the militants, officials said on Sunday that troops had removed the pro-Taliban fighters from the government buildings after a nightlong battle in which Cobra helicopter gunships were also used. A senior military official said the militants were still in control of a small pocket of the Miramshah bazaar and expressed the hope that they would be ‘wiped out’ by Monday.
"There have been small engagements in Mirali and Miramshah but considering the heavy fighting on Saturday, these were insignificant,” the official said. He said that security forces would begin active patrolling in the area from Monday.
Sources said that the army and paramilitary troops had blocked the Mirali-Miramshah road and all roads and communication links had been cut off.
Briefing the media on the situation in the region, Pakistan army spokesman, Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan said that militants continue to pour in from Afghanistan into Waziristan. He said that it was not possible to ascertain the number of foreign militants in the area because it was not a question of simple arithmetic. “More militants might have come from Afghanistan as we have a porous border,” he said.
He said that residents were moving to "safer areas" because of the fighting.
A representative of the office of the governor of the Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) told the Pakistani daily Dawn that security forces had launched a clean-up operation and taken over all government buildings, including the telephone exchange and the college in the troubled town.
"Forces have secured positions and now we have decided to go after militants, because they have challenged the writ of the government,” Arbab Shehzad said, adding that efforts were under way to restore the telephone exchange in a day or two.
Security has also been beefed up in the Bannu district amid reports that civilians were fleeing Miramshah for other places, using various routes to avoid the road blocks set up by the pro-Taliban forces as well as those of the Pakistani security forces.
Last month, Adnkronos International (AKI) reported that the Taliban had released a video claiming that they had established an Islamic state in North Waziristan and that they had the support of the people in the tribal agency.
The Pakistan army has been battling Islamic militants in the Waziristan region since Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters fled into the area after the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Tens of thousands of Pakistani soldiers were sent into the area in 2003.
Last week, reports said that pro-Taliban forces had taken control of government buildings in Miramshah.
After clashes between the Pakistani security forces and the militants, officials said on Sunday that troops had removed the pro-Taliban fighters from the government buildings after a nightlong battle in which Cobra helicopter gunships were also used. A senior military official said the militants were still in control of a small pocket of the Miramshah bazaar and expressed the hope that they would be ‘wiped out’ by Monday.
"There have been small engagements in Mirali and Miramshah but considering the heavy fighting on Saturday, these were insignificant,” the official said. He said that security forces would begin active patrolling in the area from Monday.
Sources said that the army and paramilitary troops had blocked the Mirali-Miramshah road and all roads and communication links had been cut off.
Briefing the media on the situation in the region, Pakistan army spokesman, Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan said that militants continue to pour in from Afghanistan into Waziristan. He said that it was not possible to ascertain the number of foreign militants in the area because it was not a question of simple arithmetic. “More militants might have come from Afghanistan as we have a porous border,” he said.
He said that residents were moving to "safer areas" because of the fighting.
A representative of the office of the governor of the Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) told the Pakistani daily Dawn that security forces had launched a clean-up operation and taken over all government buildings, including the telephone exchange and the college in the troubled town.
"Forces have secured positions and now we have decided to go after militants, because they have challenged the writ of the government,” Arbab Shehzad said, adding that efforts were under way to restore the telephone exchange in a day or two.
Security has also been beefed up in the Bannu district amid reports that civilians were fleeing Miramshah for other places, using various routes to avoid the road blocks set up by the pro-Taliban forces as well as those of the Pakistani security forces.
Last month, Adnkronos International (AKI) reported that the Taliban had released a video claiming that they had established an Islamic state in North Waziristan and that they had the support of the people in the tribal agency.
The Pakistan army has been battling Islamic militants in the Waziristan region since Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters fled into the area after the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Tens of thousands of Pakistani soldiers were sent into the area in 2003.
posted by Marko at 3/06/2006 07:47:00 AM
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