Islamabad: The bodies of 10 Pakistani troops,
reported missing after a clash with militants last month, were
found in the country's restive northwestern tribal belt on Monday,
the second such incident in the last two weeks, security
officials said.
The bodies of the Frontier Constabulary personnel were
found in Dabori area of Orakzai tribal region this morning,
officials said. They had gone missing following a clash with
militants on December 21.
The bodies were airlifted by a helicopter to Peshawar.
No group claimed responsibility for the killings.
The Express Tribune reported on its website that
officials believed the killings were the handiwork of the
local chapter of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
At least 22 security personnel, including a major, were
injured in the clash at Dabori in Orakzai Agency last month.
The security personnel were attacked by a group of about
100 heavily armed Taliban fighters.
In a similar incident, the naked and bullet-riddled
bodies of 15 Frontier Constabulary personnel were found in
North Waziristan Agency last week.
These personnel were killed two weeks after they were
abducted from Tank area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The
Taliban had claimed responsibility for those killings.
Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the 15 troopers
were killed in retaliation for an operation by security forces
in Khyber Agency. He had warned that the militants would take
"harsh revenge" for the killing of Taliban cadres.
Security forces had launched an operation against
militants in Orkazai Agency.
Helicopter gunships and heavy artillery were used to
target militant positions. The operation in Orakzai Agency is
led by the Frontier Constabulary.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 09, 2012, 20:05