By Iftikhar A. Khan, The Dawn, 30 May 2009
Operation Rahe Rast made a significant progress with the security forces completely securing control of Mingora city, destroying various training centres of terrorists and killing important militant commanders, the military said.
Briefing reporters about the progress of the operation, military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said the security forces were expecting stiff resistance in Mingora, but the militants started fleeing the area as they came close of being besieged.
Security Forces have successfully secured Nawagai and Najigram. He said securing Mingora was a big success as the large city having two istrategic heights including Saidu and Kamber has transportation links with Malakand, Buner and Shangla.
At Nawagai a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered. The people of Mingora have started exposing militants who were trying to pose as citizens.
He said 25 miltants including local commanders (Abu Saeed Misbah ud Din and Sultan Khan) were killed and three were apprehended in various areas of operation, while one soldier laid down his life and four were injured including one civilian driver during an exchange of fire.
In Peochar, the training centres of known militant commanders including commander Lal Din, Said Jalil, Mian Said Liaq were searched and destroyed, including the training base of Maulana Fazlullah.
He said the security forces have commenced operations towards Kalam, Gulibagh and secured the area upto Kedam (3 km north of Bahrain).
A soldier and a civilian driver were killed and two soldiers were injured from an improvised explosive device (IED) near Chamtalai.
During search and clearance operations, miltants attacked troops at Drushkhela and Asharai, in which local commander Sultan Khan was killed after retaliatory firing.
About Dir, he said during a search operation at Kambar Bazar, six miscreants were killed.
He said that upon recieving information about the presence of militants at Kulal Dheri, a raid was conducted and 10 militants killed.
Referring to the relief activities by Army at Mingora, he said a team of 21 doctors with sufficient medicines have reached Mingora for re-establishing civil hospital Mingora.
Gas has been restored upto Mingora City. A sufficient number of mobile generators have been provided to run the water pumping stations. Repair work on the restoration of electricity in Mingora has started. He said that it will take at least two weeks to fully restore it.
The military spokesman said the weapons recovered from militant strongholds included weaponry of American, Russian and Indian origin.
General Athar Abbas said so far 1217 militants have been killed while 79 including foreign nationals have been apprehended. He said 81 security personnel have so far laid down their lives while 250 sustained injuries.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/12-swat-main-town-almost-secured--bi-03
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