Troops locked in street battles

ISLAMABAD - Security forces have killed another 27 militants including three top militant commanders in Malakand division where ground offensive has been launched to target important hideouts of the militants.
A ground offensive has been launched by the infantry after the security forces killed 27 militants in the ongoing Rah-e-Rast Operation during the last 24 hours, Director General ISPR Major General Ather Abbas told a press briefing here on Monday.
He said the area commanders killed by the security forces had been identified as Okasha, Malanga and Riaz, while three security forces personnel including an officer embraced martyrdom and 17 soldiers got injured. He said fierce clashes were taking place in different areas where the troops had started ground offensive after conclusion of air strikes.
He said security forces were engaged with miscreants inside Kanju town to clear and secure the area, while efforts were underway to expand security forces foothold in Peochar valley. He said efforts were afoot to secure Dumber Training Centre, which was also being used by miscreants as their logistic base where 12 miscreant were reportedly killed in the clashes.
Operation is in progress in Takhtaband area where in a close encounter, seven terrorists were killed including important commanders Malanga and Riaz. The security forces had recovered the body of Malanga, he said.
The militants hideouts in Mam Dherai were targeted effectively where reportedly 10 to 15 terrorists hiding inside had been killed and security forces were continuing with cordon and search operations in Matta.
While commenting on various reports published in the foreign media, he said that whole nation had all confidence in the national security forces, which had all the capability to handle the situation in professional manner.
Such statements, coming in the foreign media, are only meant to put more pressure on us and nothing else. We have the national security and integrity on our priority agenda and the security forces are mindful of their responsibility, he said.
He said the national security institutions of the country knew well about their priorities and all the deployments were made strictly in accordance with the need and requirement of the situation. He said that the utmost care was being exercised to avoid collateral damages, while the terrorists would be taken to task in the street fight, which had been launched.
In response to a question, he said investigations were underway into the incident in which five security personnel including two officers were killed. He said militant fighters arrested during the operation were being interrogated and denied that they included any high value target.
AFP/Reuters/Online add: Pakistan said troops were locked in bloody street battles with Taliban fighters in towns of the Swat district as rival politicians united behind the offensive to eliminate militants. Deadly operation against Taliban fighters entered a fourth week on Monday as jets and helicopters pounded militant targets, and infantry troops fought street battles in Swat towns.
Fighter jets and attack helicopters pounded militant hideouts and supply lines in Swat, once a tourist destination popular with Westerners until two years ago, when it was plunged into a Taliban insurgency to enforce Sharia law.
The military said troops are closing in on Mingora, the capital of Swat under Taliban control, and have issued a map showing security forces in a pincer movement of troops pushing down from the north and up from the south.
It reported fierce clashes in different places and said security forces were locked in street fighting in the Taliban-held towns of Kanju, two kilometres from Mingora, and Matta, further to the north.
We are closing towards Mingora. We have started the street fighting, the urban warfare in Matta... And now the infantry is going into the cities and the towns, Abbas told a news conference.
Security Forces on Monday gained control of Matta (around 50 per cent) while two security officials were martyred and 15 militants killed till last reports came in.
While giving details of the Matta operation, Commanding Officer Brigadier Jamal said we have taken control of 50 per cent of Matta adding, during the operation gunship helicopters were used to destroy the hideouts of the militants.
He said we are trying our best that overall loss of lives of innocent people, property is minimum.
Commanding Officer said that during the operation, two security officials were martyred while we have killed 15 militants.
He said that from 8:00 am in the morning till 3:00pm in afternoon, relaxation in curfew is witnessed adding we are making sure that locals are saved.
Monitoring Desk adds: At least 12 civilians were killed and several others injured when fighter jets and helicopters bombarded militant hideouts in Dir Bala district of NWFP, reported BBC on Monday, quoting eyewitnesses. Women and children were also among the dead and injured people.
The incident occurred when some families were heading towards Dir Bala after evacuating Swat, but they became under bombardment of fighter jets.
Many of them were killed on the spot.
Naib Nazim Union Council Pashta, Jehan Pervez also confirmed the civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, a private TV channel reported that troops were closing in on Mingora, the capital of Swat and under Taliban control, as part of a pushing anti-militant offensive, which the UN said displaced more than 1.1 million people in two weeks.
'Fighter jets and helicopter gunships targeted hideouts of Taliban militants in Peochar and Takhta Bund areas in Swat on Monday morning, a military official told foreign news agency on condition of anonymity.
Another security official confirmed shelling against suspected militant hideouts in the two areas and described Takhta Bund as the main supply route for Taliban holed up in Mingora.
On the other side, six militants were killed including their key commander Bilal during a search drive in Darra Adamkhel, sources said.
The security forces are carrying out the search drive against militants in Darra Adamkhel area of Upper Kohat.