Gunships pound militant stronghold in South Waziristan: residents

Pakistani helicopter gunships and artillery pounded militant positions on Sunday in South Waziristan, residents and officials said.

The military said they fired artillery after coming under attack in Ladha village of South Waziristan district, where a Taliban commander linked to the martyrdom of former premier Benazir Bhutto is said to be hiding.

“At 0100 hours miscreants fired 12.7 millimetres gun from old Ladha to Ladha observation post. Security forces retaliated with artillery guns fire,” a military statement said, but gave no casualties.

Residents however said that shells fired from six helicopter gunships killed two people and left seven others wounded, but officials were not immediately available to confirm the deaths.

The military said on Saturday that troops captured 50 Islamist militants in an operation in the rugged Chaghmalai and Ladha areas of South Waziristan.

The clashes started after hundreds of heavily armed militants overran Sararogha fort on Wednesday, killing seven soldiers and leaving another 15 troops missing, presumed kidnapped.

The fierce clashes were the latest in a series to rock the tribal region, the stronghold of wanted Islamist warlord Baitullah Mehsud and his al Qaeda and Taliban allies.

Militants have stepped up attacks on troops in the region since Benazir was martyred in a gun and bomb attack last month.

Pakistan was already on high alert for the Muslim festival of Ashura, being observed on Sunday.