270 troops killed fighting militants in Pakistan`s tribal belt

Peshawar: A total of 270 security personnel were killed during operations to flush out militants from the restive Mohmand tribal region of northwest Pakistan, a top official said on Friday.

Maj Gen Ghayoor Mehmood, head of the Frontier Corps, said 170 paramilitary troopers of Mohmand Rifles and 100 army soldiers were killed during the campaign in Mohmand Agency, which borders Afghanistan. He claimed the government`s writ had been restored in the region after successful operations against militant strongholds. Mehmood made the remarks while talking to the media after inaugurating a martyrs` memorial at Ghalanai, the main town in Mohmand Agency. The terrorists had been flushed out of their bastions and Mohmand Agency was now under the control of the political administration, he said. The militants, at the behest of their "foreign masters", had challenged the government`s writ and inflicted losses on the tribal people, he said. Mehmood expressed confidence that the Mohmand tribesmen would continue to support the government`s endeavours for restoring peace in the region and would not allow anti-state elements to strengthen their roots. He asked the displaced people of Mohmand Agency to return to their homes without any fear as the government has said it will provide full protection to them. PTI