Forces pound Taliban posts in Swat

Published August 13, 2008

MINGORA, Aug 12: Houses of two Taliban commanders were blown up in the Kabal tehsil and security forces claimed to have seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunition during a search operation on Tuesday.

The security forces backed by helicopter gunships and artillery pounded Taliban hideouts in the area through the day.

According to sources, the security forces blew up houses of Taliban commanders, Shehenshah and Yaqoob, in the Katyar area of Deolai and arrested Yaqoob.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan confirmed the report about the attack on the houses.

Other sources said that two civilians were killed and several others injured when mortar shells hit their houses in upper Swat.

The local administration imposed indefinite curfew in Kabal and Shah Dheri.

One person identified as Nadar Khan was killed and two others, Mehboob Alam and Zabar Dast Khan, were injured when a shell hit their house in Katyar.

Three civilians, identified as Sultanat Khan, Iqbal Khan, and Abdul Akbar, were injured when a stray mortar shell fell on their house in Kala Kalley.

Another man, Sayed Rehman, was killed and five other people, including women, were injured when a shell struck their house in the Galoch area of Kabal. Several other houses were also damaged in the attack.

Militants damaged two bridges in the Arkot area of Matta tehsil and Allahabad area of Charbagh tehsil, causing traffic suspension on the main road.

A girls’ primary school was blown up in the Bar Qilla area of Manglawar by unidentified people. The school record and furniture was completely destroyed.

Taliban freed six kidnapped villagers after talks with a jirga. They accused the villagers of shooting at them.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan has confirmed the release of the kidnapped men.

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