Peshawar: Nine pro-Taliban militants,
including a key commander, were killed when gunship
helicopters pounded rebel hideouts in Pakistan's restive
Mohmand tribal region on Thursday.
The gunship helicopters targeted militant hideouts in
several areas of Mohmand Agency, including Bahadar Killi in
Suran Valley, Jarobai Dara and Gulmain, a spokesman for the
paramilitary Frontier Corps said.
Nine militants were killed in the air strikes. Seven
vehicles and five motorcycles were also destroyed during the
attacks.
Meanwhile, a grand 'jirga' or council of the Halimzai
tribe decided that it will not allow militants to use
territory inhabited by the tribal for unlawful activities.
The jirga also said the tribe is committed to take
action against militants.
The Frontier Corps spokesman also said a jirga formed
under the supervision of officials of Kurram tribal region had
been successful in brokering a ceasefire between rival Sunni
and Shia tribesmen in Bughdi area.
Scores of people have died in clashes between the
rival tribes in Kurram Agency over the past two years.
Authorities in the Khyber tribal region near Peshawar
arrested a man and seized a vehicle that contained four
machine guns, 10 pistols and a significant amount of RDX
explosives.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 18:28