Militants kill eight police in Pakistan
Sunday, 10 August 2008
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Aug 9 (AFP): Pakistani Taliban militants shot dead eight police in a northwestern Pakistani town close to restive Swat valley, officials said Saturday.
"A group of ten armed militants attacked a police checkpost in Bunir and shot dead eight police officials deployed there," local police official Sardar Hameed told the news agency of Friday night's incident.
"These militants came from Swat valley to attack the post," Hameed added.
Swat was a thriving tourist resort until last year, when radical pro- Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.
The government signed a peace deal with the Swat militants in May and agreed to gradually pull out troops and introduce an Islamic justice system in the valley. In exchange, the rebels said they would halt attacks and surrender their arms.
"A group of ten armed militants attacked a police checkpost in Bunir and shot dead eight police officials deployed there," local police official Sardar Hameed told the news agency of Friday night's incident.
"These militants came from Swat valley to attack the post," Hameed added.
Swat was a thriving tourist resort until last year, when radical pro- Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.
The government signed a peace deal with the Swat militants in May and agreed to gradually pull out troops and introduce an Islamic justice system in the valley. In exchange, the rebels said they would halt attacks and surrender their arms.