Up to 70 militants have been killed in the Khawzakhela area of Matta tehsil in Swat district after up to 600 pro-Taliban militants attacked security personnel near Dheri Bagh at around 4:00 am on Thursday, NWFP Home Secretary Badshah Gul Wazir told reporters.Clashes between security forces backed by helicopter gunships and militants near Khawzakhela continued on Thursday, with 11 civilians reported to have been injured in the crossfire. Online reported that the militants had taken control of the Khawzakhela Bazaar, while a BBC report claimed areas west of Mingora were under militant control.
Addressing a joint press conference at the NWFP Information Department, Wazir said security forces had suffered no casualties in the clash.
Militant claims: However, Sirajuddin, a spokesman for rebel cleric Fazlullah, said only one or two militants had died. He claimed that 40 security personnel had surrendered in fighting in Khawzakhela. Wazir denied that security personnel had surrendered. NWFP IG Sharif Virk said there was some tension at a police station that had been surrounded by militants, but security forces there were confident they could resist and had been provided with rations.
The militants also claimed to have arrested two foreigners, believed to be journalists. Sirjauddin claimed that the arrested men were “NATO soldiers”.
Home Minister Shahzada Gustasap told the press conference that the government was trying to mobilise the public against militancy through jirgas in all districts. “We are trying to resolve the crisis by engaging all the parties,” he said.