Eleven militants, one soldier killed in Pakistan

October 3rd, 2009 - 11:28 pm ICT by IANS  

Taliban Islamabad, Oct 3 (DPA) Eleven militants and a soldier were killed Saturday in clashes in the northwestern tribal region of Pakistan that borders Afghanistan, a security official said.
Fazal-ur-Rehman, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps, said in a statement that the fighting took place during a security operation in Gurgray area of the Khyber region.

“Eleven militants including a suicide bomber were killed, while four vehicles including one explosives-laden vehicle were destroyed,” Rehman said. “One soldier died while three were injured in today’s action.”

As a part of its efforts against rising Islamic militancy, Pakistan in early September launched a major offensive in Khyber, which lies on the main supply route for western troops into landlocked Afghanistan.

The assault largely focuses on insurgents linked with the Lashkar-e-Islam militant group that has close ties with the Pakistani Taliban.

The group is believed to have facilitated the Taliban rebels to carry out dozens of attacks on NATO convoys.

The group is also blamed for several terrorist acts, including suicide attacks on government and civilian targets, in the Khyber tribal region and the neighbouring North West Frontier Province.

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