Pakistan army kills 6 militants in Taliban base

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-18 20:15

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's security forces advanced further into the Taliban strongholds of South Waziristan tribal agency during the last 24 hours and killed six militants, the army said Wednesday in a daily press release.

Eight troops including two officers were also injured in the past day during the operation coded as Rah-e-Nijat, or path of salvation, in the northwest tribal area bordering Afghanistan, the army said.

As the operation steadily progressed towards the Taliban base, the army said, the security forces have established link up short of Janata and point 1694, carried out search operation at Lita Sar and village Blanki Sar and destroyed eight bunkers.

The army also recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunitions during search operation, it said.

Meanwhile in the ending operation in Swat and Malakand, four militants have been arrested and another four suspects voluntarily surrendered themselves to the security forces, according to the statement.

On relief activities, so far 12,469 cash cards have been distributed amongst the displaced families of Waziristan, the army said.

According to the army statistics, Pakistani security forces have killed more than 500 militants since they launched the ground assault on October 17 in the South Waziristan, advancing towards the main base of Taliban militants in Pakistan. The army said that about 30,000 soldiers are in place to take on an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban militants in the lawless area.

The military said that the operation was launched in six towns of the area in three directions and is likely to continue for six to eight weeks, but no final deadline can be given.