Muhammad Reports from Pakistan, January 25, 2008

Dear John E. Carey,
Peace and Freedom,

Dear Sir,

Thanks God after seeing you in action again. I have been feeling great happiness after seeing. I hope you and your team at the Peace and Freedom will be alright.

Situation is our areas has been worsened as the army has launched a big operation in the areas. I think it seems that Pakistan is serious this time in war on terror.

At least 35 militants were killed when heavy contingents of military and paramilitary forces initiated an operation against the militants in the narrow tribal strip of Darra Adamkhail on Friday, officials claimed.

The officials also said that over 20 militants were also arrested in the action that was launched from both Kohat and Peshawar sides in the wee hours of Friday. They said that the suspected hideouts of the militants were being targeted with modern weapons.

The action was initiated because the militants captured five trucks of security forces loaded with arms and abducted many civilians in Waziristan on Thursday last.

Before initiating the operation, the administration ordered the dwellers of several sensitive villages to vacate their houses and shift to safer places. Similarly, the main road between Peshawar and Kohat was also blocked to avoid civilian casualties. The security forces also cordoned off several routes in Bara region of Khyber Agency in a bid to ensure the netting of the militants fleeing from the area of Darra Adamkhail.

However, Maulvi Omar, the spokesman to Baitullah Mahsud, has contradicted these claims and said that seven personnel of the security forces were killed and 14 others, including seven from the Special Services Group, were made hostage. He added that a soldier of armed forces was killed while four others were injured in Akhorwal. Even a gunship helicopter was forced to flee from the area when the militants attacked it with anti-aircraft guns, he further claimed and added that Taliban were resisting the military action. He accepted the capturing of five trucks and making hostages the security personnel escorting these trucks. Omar said that security forces were being repulsed and the checkpost situated on the top of the Pak-Japan Friendship Tunnel was destroyed.

In the operation, the security forces targeted the houses of militant leaders Mufti Ilyas and Commander Tariq with mortars and damaged them. There are no details of human casualties in such attacks. The operation is still going on whereas thousands of vehicles are stranded at Peshawar and Kohat regions due to the closure of Indus Highway in Darra Adamkhail.

Dear Sir, I want to inform you that the people of tribal areas will never forget your positive cooperation in their struggle against terrorism. We are really grateful.

Thank you again. Yours sincerely,

Muhammad Khurshid
Khar, Bajaur Agency, Tribal Areas Pakistan

Related:
Muhammad Reports on Pakistan, January 28, 2008