HANGU: Security forces operation in different areas here continued for the fifth day also, while 15 extremists were killed thus far in the operation and a four-hour relaxation in the clamped curfew in the town has been announced.

Sources said that following security forces taking control of Zargari and Shanahwari, the adjoining areas were being combed for flushing out the extremists. Mortars, tanks, foot soldiers and gunship helicopters were being used in the operation and at least 10 extremists have been killed, while several injured thus far. Curfew break from 7.00 A.M. in the morning to 11.00 A.M. has been announced. However, curfew in Duaba will remain clamped. Tal-Hangu Road traffic remained suspended till now.

DG ISPR, Major General Athar Abbas told Geo News that 15 miscreants have been killed and 60 arrested during the underway operation here thus far, while the contingents of troops were making advances in different areas. Five security personnel have thus far been wounded, he further said.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=50036

Army takes control of Hangu


PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Army has taken control of most of the area in Hangu on the fourth day of the military offensive launched against the militants, while the provincial government hopes that the operation would end within a couple of days.

A Jirga in Orakzai Agency, sharing boundaries with Hangu district, assured the government that no parallel administration would be allowed in the area nor miscreants would be given shelter.

The Jirga, comprising 13 religious scholars and elders of the area, assured that militants would end siege of the government schools and other establishments in the agency. A Jirga of local elders has been making efforts to establish contacts with top government functionaries while another has been sent to Ghalju to hold talks with militants.

“There is no collateral damage in the operation so far. Ten extremists have been killed while there are no reports of any casualty from the security forces,” NWFP Home Secretary Tipu Mohabat Khan said while briefing journalists on the Hangu operation at the media centre of the Directorate of Information. He added that Cobra helicopters were providing aerial cover to the troops operating in the area.

There was no shelling in Zargari on Saturday. The curfew clamped over Hangu was lifted for two-hours on the weekend but then resumed immediately. Curfew was also in place in Doaba but vehicular movement has started there.

The home secretary said that objectives of the operation were achieved and action would be stopped soon. He made it clear that the mortar-shell attack that had killed two women in a house was not carried out by the Army.

The official parried the question when asked where the alleged militant commander Abdul Hakim was being kept. The arrest of the commander and his six other men had triggered anger among the Taliban of Hangu district who first occupied the Doaba police station and then killed 17 Frontier Constabulary personnel, including the district chief to avenge his arrest.

“There was lawlessness in Doaba where people were being kidnapped and non-governmental organisations were not being allowed to work. Parents were being threatened from sending their daughters to schools. So an action against these elements had become a must,” said the official.

Tipu had no information on the number of the security personnel and officials of other government departments in the captivity of the militants. The captors, who claimed having made 49 security personnel and government officials hostage, have threatened to kill three each day if the operation was not halted.

A senior leader of the JUI-F Senator Mohammad Hussain Alhashmi told journalists in Hangu that they had held meetings with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani and Maulana Fazlur Rahman to find out a solution to the Hangu problem.

The JUI-F senator alleged that the provincial government of the ANP did not want the dialogue process to succeed. Instead, he alleged, the ANP wanted to start a civil war so that the province could be acceded to Afghanistan. “However, we will never let them succeed in their evil designs. Our talks are continuing and we are hopeful that peace will be restored soon,” the senator opined.

The NWFP home secretary also hinted at continuing talks with militants, denying any senior government official had refused to meet the Jirga. He added that talks were going on with militants in Swat and progress had been made to a great extent.

Police also conducted a raid on the base camp of Maulana Nabi Hanfi on the Spin Khawri Road. “We have proposed to establish and strengthen security posts on the Shahoo Road, Dallan Road and other routes linking the district with tribal agencies,” DPO Hangu Mohammad Idrees Khan, told The News.

The NWFP IGP Malik Naveed Khan said the morale of his force was high. Naveed, like other senior officials, tried to ward off any question about TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud. “I guess he is involved in a few cases, probably in Islamabad,” the IGP remarked when journalists insisted on a reply from him.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=16095

ANP guys are not that crazy.No body wants to join Afghanistan.