Forces Advancement Continues In S Waziristan

WANA: Security forces killed 13 terrorists in fighting in South Waziristan tribal region with which the militants losses in a week-long fighting has reached to 142, ISPR said.

According to an ISPR statement two security men were martyred and seven injured in the drive during last 24 hours.

The military has cleared Noor Ghantai area of Sararogha and advancing towards Kotkai after control of a key hill in the vicinity of the Kotkai village.

S Waziristan IDPs Tally Can Reach 270,000

UNITED NATIONS: United Nations and its partners are assisting in northwestern Pakistan where the government estimates that more than 100,000 people have been displaced by the latest military offensive against militants in South Waziristan region and the number could increase further, UN sources here said.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), military operations in tribal areas of South Waziristan have intensified since Saturday and gave rise to significant further displacement of civilians.

Officials say there are now a total of 106,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) recorded in the districts of Dera Ismail Khan and Tank in North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

“The humanitarian organizations estimate more than 170,000 people may be displaced as a result of new military operations,” said OCHA, which could raise the total number of displaced persons to a maximum of 270,000. “

Lahore Police Camp Attack Planned in S waziristan: Rehman Malik

Lahore: The audacious attack on a police academy near here was planned in the restive South Waziristan tribal region and one of the terrorists captured is an Afghan national, Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said.

The attack on the police training centre at Manawan was planned in South Waziristan and the militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas were receiving training across the border, he told reporters.

He said a suspect, arrested with grenades while he was trying to target helicopters being used in operation against the terrorists who stormed the police facility, belongs to Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province.

Malik was speaking last night after security forces captured or killed the terrorists who attacked the training centre during an eight-hour-long operation. Nine persons were killed and over 90 injured in the terrorist assault.

He said three other suspects had been taken into custody for questioning.

The suspects are being interrogated and more details would be available within three days after a high-level investigating committee completed its probe into the incident, the Interior Ministry chief added.

He also said that “anti-state elements” were carrying out terrorist strikes across the country after failing to achieve their designs in the tribal areas.