Peshawar: Two paramilitary personnel and
21 Taliban fighters were killed in fierce clashes that erupted
when militants attacked security check posts at several places
in the restive tribal belt of northwest Pakistan on Wednesday,
officials said.
Two personnel of the Frontier Corps were killed and
seven others injured when the Taliban attacked four check
posts at Shonkarai, Goraprai and Matai areas of Mohmand tribal
region.
One paramilitary personnel also went missing during
the clashes, officials said.
Communication with Frontier Corps troops deployed at
Goraprai post was snapped and it is feared that the Taliban
could have taken 20 security personnel hostage.
Frontier Corps troops manning the check posts gunned
down seven Taliban fighters and injured 13 more in retaliatory
firing.
Security forces also shelled Taliban positions from
the Bhai Dag and Mommad Ghat camps.
The clashes continued for several hours.
A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the
simultaneous attacks on four checks posts in Mohmand Agency.
In Orakzai Agency, a group of militants attacked a
security check post in Mashti Mela area.
The attack triggered a gun battle that left eight
militants dead and two security personnel injured, officials
said.
Another six militants were killed in a separate clash
with security forces in Orakzai Agency, they said.
Over the past few days, the Taliban have stepped up
attacks on security forces in Orakzai Agency.
Today`s clashes came a day after six soldiers and 40
militants were killed in a gun battle that followed an attack
on a check post.
In a separate development, police in Hangu district of
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province recovered a man who was abducted
by unidentified persons, officials said.
PTI
