Islamabad: Pakistani security forces today
killed 17 militants in search and clearance operations in the
restive north-western Swat valley where 15 bullet-riddled
bodies of suspected Taliban insurgents were also recovered.
A dozen militants were killed by troops during search
operations at Tilligram, Benjot, Seer and Mangaltan in Swat,
the military said in a statement. Troops gunned down five more
militants during an operation at Kasona.
Security forces also captured 13 militants during search
operations across the Swat valley while seven Taliban fighters
surrendered at Derai.
Meanwhile, authorities came across 15 bullet-riddled
bodies of suspected Taliban militants in the valley.
This was the second day in running that bodies of
suspected militants were recovered, raising concerns of
extra-judicial killings but the Army attributed the killings
to inter-militancy rivalry.
"I can confirm that 15 bodies were found today and our
information is that they are militants," private TV channels
quoted Army spokesman Major Mushtaq Khan as saying.
"They might have been the victims of infighting among
militant groups or killed by local people," the spokesman
said.
Bureau Report
