Warplanes, gunships blast Taliban positions

PESHAWAR - Maulana Kifayatullah, elder son of Maulana Sufi Mohammad, chief of Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) was killed on Thursday when an artillery shell hit his house in Lower Dir.
Meanwhile, 25 militants including an important Taliban commander, and nine soldiers were killed in fresh clashes with security forces in different areas of Swat, Buner and Dir districts. The security forces used warplanes and gunship helicopters as they intensified action against the militants, officials disclosed.
According to details, Maulana Kifayatullah, elder son of TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad is top amongst the killed persons in the ongoing military action against militants in scattered areas of Malakand region.
Maulana Kifayatullah was killed when the security forces shelled the suspected hideouts of the alleged Taliban militants in village Daro of Maidan region in Lower Dir District. His brother-in-law Maulana Safi Ullah was injured seriously. Safi Ullah is son-in-law of Maulana Sufi Mohammad. Kifayatullah, 50, had been living in the house of his brother-in-law. However,
Izzat Khan, the spokesman of TNSM, said that he was wounded in the legs and was not in a critical condition.
A military official in the northwest said he had no information about Kifayatullahs death but confirmed fighter jets 'conducted raids on suspected hideouts in Lower Dir Thursday.
Maulana Kifayatullah had accompanied his father in his historical journey to Afghanistan soon after 9/11 for shouldering Taliban in their attempt against the United States-led allies. However, later reportedly he developed links with Taliban militants, particularly his brother-in-law Maulana Fazalullah who was leading Tehrik-e-Taliban Swat Chapter and engaged in fighting against the government, security forces and civilians for the last four years.
So far neither TNSM nor its chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad has shown any reaction to the death of Kifayatullah.
Meanwhile, militants suffered huge losses in other areas also. Ibne Aqeel, an important Taliban commander and brother of Ibne Ameen, was killed along with three others when the security forces hit them back to repulse their attack on Matta Police Station.
He belonged to Namal village and was previously affiliated with Jesh-e-Mohammad. Namal has been a stronghold of Taliban since 2007.
Moreover, the officials said that the security forces had intensified operation in Swat and Buner districts and killed several militants while targeting their suspected hideouts in Malam Jabba, Chamtalai, Pewchar and Shagai areas. They further said the militants had been driven out of their various strongholds. However, the local people have doubted the officials claim alleging that a large number of civilians had also been killed in the security forces shelling.
The also said that five members of a family had been killed when mortar shells hit a house in Matta town.
In addition to that, there are unconfirmed reports also that a gunship helicopter of the security forces targeted a militants vehicle near village Roonyal in Matta. All the persons aboard were reportedly killed in incident. However, neither Taliban nor security officials have issued any statement in this respect.
On the other hand, Taliban militants have planted land mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) all over the residential areas in a bid to block migration of the local people and use them as shield against security forces attacks.
Similarly, reports from Buner have revealed that the security forces targeted militants hideouts with gunship helicopters in the intensified action.
The security officials have claimed that around 15 militants had been killed when they were looting shops in Elai town and Buner. They also said that the security forces had further advanced towards Sultanwas, Shalbandai and Deawana Baba. However, Pir Baba town is reportedly still under the militants control.
When the local residents of several localities of Buner district were contacted in this regard, they said that blind artillery shelling had taken place in the area. They further said that Taliban militants were also seen patrolling the roads time to time. However, they doubted the claims of the security forces about militants casualties.
Meanwhile, two militants and three personnel of the security forces were killed and 14 others, including three militants, injured when Taliban attacked the Levies Check-Post at Chakdara Dir and Police Station Gandeegar in Upper Dir. The militants also abducted 11 personnel of the security forces from there.
Agencies add: ISPR said that nine soldiers were killed, seven in an ambush, during the past 24 hours, while 25 militants were killed in fresh clashes in Swat and Buner as warplanes and attack helicopters bombed militant hideouts on Thursday. In 24 hours, we lost nine soldiers and about 10 of them (were) injured, Major General Athar Abbas told AFP.
Seven of the soldiers were killed when militants ambushed a convoy at the entrance to Mingora. The troop carrier was coming and there were seven soldiers killed in that. Two soldiers were killed somewhere in the valley north of Matta, Abbas said.
Helicopters and warplanes pounded suspected Taliban hideouts, as thousands of people fled the deadliest fighting to erupt in Swat since a peace agreement was reached in February.
Official sources said 25 militants were killed in fresh clashes with security forces in various areas of Buner and Swat.
Official sources said that 10 militants were killed in clashes with the security forces in Buner district on Thursday morning.
The forces, backed by gunships helicopters targeted hideouts of militants in Ellay area of Buner district and shelling on the militant hideouts was underway.
Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing from the troubled area towards safer places, while security forces have taken control of most of the areas and are advancing forward.
Sources said several hideouts were destroyed in the operation.
Meanwhile, jet planes bombed several hideouts of militants in various areas of district Swat, killing fifteen militants and injuring several others and several militant hideouts were destroyed in the operation.
Locals said militants still had control over most of the areas and fierce clashes were going on between security forces and militants.
Eyewitnesses said that a large number of people were fleeing towards safer places.
Sources said the militants have started patrolling the streets of Mingora and established check-posts and also installed mines.
Three security men were killed and eight others injured when militants attacked Levi headquarters in Chakdara area and kidnapped twelve officials including a subedar major. Militants blew up the headquarters after the attack. Sources said there were more than two dozens troops during the time of the attack.
Three policemen were injured in an attack by militants on Gandikar police station and police retaliated but no casualty was reported.
Security forces targeted militants holed up in Malam Jabba, Matta and Khawaza Khela of Swat, one day after 37 rebels were killed in the deadliest fighting to rock the area since a peace deal was reached in February.
A military official in the northwest said troops were ordered to target militant hideouts and establish the writ of the government at any cost as the peace deal unravelled.
A Taliban spokesman said more than 30 civilians had been killed in Swat.
There was no independent confirmation of either sides tolls.
Security forces used jets and helicopters to attack militant strongholds in at least four parts of the Swat valley on Thursday, residents and government officials said.
In Lower Dir overnight, fighters attacked a paramilitary checkpoint and kidnapped 10 soldiers after heavy gun battles, said local police official Falak Naz.
Online adds: Reliable sources in the Army told that security forces have also managed to disconnect communication links between the Taliban and their commander.
Now the communication system is totally under control of Army, it added. Taliban are trying to hide in Swat from Dir and Buner after disconnection of their communication links with their commander. There are also report that security forces have taken complete control of all areas of Buner and Dir.