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| India-Pakistan |
| 20 militants killed in fighting along border |
| 2012-08-28 |
| [Dawn] At least 20 gun-hung tough guys and a soldier were killed on Sunday, the third day of fighting between gun-hung tough guys from the Kunar province ... which is right down the road from Chitral. Kunar is Haqqani country..... of Afghanistan and Pak security forces in the border area of Batwar in Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur tribal region.Seven bad turbans, four security personnel and two members of Salarzai Qaumi Lashkar were maimed. According to local officials, the gun-hung tough guys had entered the mountainous area of Batwar and used heavy weapons to target houses of rival tribal elders and posts of 'peace committees' and security forces. "The security forces and volunteers of the Salarzai Lashkar fired back with artillery and mortars. Helicopter gunships also shelled suspected positions of bad turbans. "Twenty bad turbans, including some of their leaders, were killed, while four personnel of security forces and two volunteers were maimed in the fighting," an official told Dawn. According to independent sources, a soldier and two volunteers of the lashkar were killed. Local people said dozens of gun-hung tough guys who had been pushed into Afghan territory after Saturday's action by security personnel remained in hiding near the border for launching another attack. "The gun-hung tough guys have given us a tough time and the battle has continued for 48 hours," Darvish Khan, a member of a peace committee, said. Official sources said security forces had taken over control of the area. "Movement of security personnel and the lashkar towards the border area in Salarzai continues and the region will soon be cleared of bad turbans," they said. AP adds: An official, Jahangir Azam Wazir, said four soldiers, six snuffies and 38 gun-hung tough guys had been killed during the attacks on Friday and Saturday. |
| Posted by:Fred |