Taliban rebels kill nine policemen, soldiers in Pakistan
Monday, 4 August 2008
PESHAWAR, (Pakistan), Aug 3 (AFP): Pro-Taliban militants Sunday claimed responsibility for a bomb that killed six policemen and three paramilitary soldiers in northwestern Pakistan's troubled Swat valley.
Officials said the remote-controlled bomb, which also wounded five policemen, was set off as the group returned to base after a search operation in restive Kabal district Saturday.
"We carried out the bombing which killed policemen," Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said in telephone calls to reporters, adding Taliban were justified to launch such attacks because security forces were killing them.
Police said that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the bombing.
The valley has been rocked by fierce clashes in which more than 45 militants loyal to pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah have been killed since Tuesday by government security forces, according to officials.
Hundreds of residents have fled their homes in the wake of the violent clashes, witnesses said, though authorities have relaxed a curfew from 7.00am to 7.00pm in most areas.
Meanwhile, Taliban torched five girls' schools overnight. An official statement Saturday said that militants have so far destroyed 61 schools serving around 17,000 children in the valley.
Mountainous Swat was a thriving tourist resort until last year, when Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.
Officials said the remote-controlled bomb, which also wounded five policemen, was set off as the group returned to base after a search operation in restive Kabal district Saturday.
"We carried out the bombing which killed policemen," Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said in telephone calls to reporters, adding Taliban were justified to launch such attacks because security forces were killing them.
Police said that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the bombing.
The valley has been rocked by fierce clashes in which more than 45 militants loyal to pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah have been killed since Tuesday by government security forces, according to officials.
Hundreds of residents have fled their homes in the wake of the violent clashes, witnesses said, though authorities have relaxed a curfew from 7.00am to 7.00pm in most areas.
Meanwhile, Taliban torched five girls' schools overnight. An official statement Saturday said that militants have so far destroyed 61 schools serving around 17,000 children in the valley.
Mountainous Swat was a thriving tourist resort until last year, when Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.