Peshawar, Pakistan, Aug 13: Security forces have launched a massive operation in a tribal dominated northwestern district close to the Pakistani capital to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaeda fugitives believed to be hiding in
the area, a senior police officer said today.
The operation is the first time that Pakistani troops and police have launched a sweep in the region of Kala Dhaka, a notorious hiding place for bandits between the districts of Bunner and Mansehra in north west frontier province, 100 kilometres north of Islamabad.
The search was launched after reports that an alleged Pakistani supporter of al-Qaeda had taken shelter there along with an undisclosed number of Taliban fugitives, Peshawar city police chief Khurshid Alam said.
Alam did not disclose the name of the suspect but said he had been involved in training militants to fight alongside the Taliban militia in Afghanistan.
Hundreds of security personnel, including police and paramilitary troops had descended on Kala Dhaka in armoured vehicles, jeeps and trucks, he said.
"The mission is to hunt down militants and search houses for arms and ammunition," Alam said.
Bureau Report
