Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday claimed to have
seized a key town, near a stronghold of Uzbek militants, in
South Waziristan where 12 militants were killed and six
soldiers injured in clashes over the past 24 hours.
Maj Gen Athar Abbas, the chief military spokesman,
said the offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan was
"progressing as per plan" as troops had made gains along three
fronts.
The militant hub of Kaniguram had been "completely
cleared and secured" and troops were in control of the town.
Karama, a stronghold of Uzbek militants near
Kaniguram, too had been cleared and "many militants" killed in
the area, Abbas claimed.
Troops were closing in on Sararogha, another important
militant base, and it is expected to be cleared soon, he said.
However, troops had found no signs so far of senior
Taliban leaders being directly involved in the fighting and it
was not known if they were deep within militant-controlled
areas or had fled to North Waziristan, Abbas told a news
briefing.
Troops positioned in areas around Sararogha were being
targeted with mortar and small arms fire.
Twelve militants were killed in fighting around
Sararogha and Kaniguram.
Abbas said caches of arms and ammunition were found in
huts, caves and compounds used by militants as their bases.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 00:32