Slav Defence
THINK TANK VICE CHAIRMAN: ANALYST
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A decisive operation has been launched against militants in the Tirah Valley of Bara by Special Services Groups (SSG) forces along with regular troops, during which at least 23 troops have been killed along with local lashkar men.
Scores of militants have also been killed in the offensive during the last three days.
Official sources confirmed that soldiers including SSG commandos have been killed in the battle for Tirah Valley on Saturday while over 30 militants have also been confirmed dead along with scores of others injured.
Sources said that SSG commandos along with regular army troops and Frontier Corps are battling to root out the last pockets of resistance in the Tirah Valley especially on the border of Orakzai Agency.
The landlocked area is reported to be a bastion of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other foreign militants.
The Tirah Valley offensive has entered a crucial phase, after softening of targets by gunships and jet fighters.
Ground troops along with local volunteers have been mobilised to clear the area.
The security experts had already hinted at a decisive strike in the Tirah Valley as the TTP and Lashkar-i-Islam had started consolidating their positions in the valley.
The two groups pose a serious threat to the settled areas especially Peshawar.
The FC media cell had confirmed on Friday that four soldiers were killed and over 14 militants had died in the clashes which have been continuing since then.
Sources have confirmed that one dead body of an SSG commando and six injured SSG soldiers along with eight other solders were shifted to the CMH Peshawar on Saturday.
Artillery and mortar shelling has also been intensified as troops had started advance march and door to door offensive to clear pockets of resistance.
The former secretary of security for FATA region and an expert on tribal affairs, Brigadier Mehmood Shah said that Tirah would become a headache for the Pakistan administration if it is not cleared of militants.
He said that the militants from Khyber Agencys Bara area and the Darra Admakhel TTP have also shifted their operational base to Tirah Valley as they consider it to be a safer place to regroup.
He added that if Tirah Valley is left unattended, it would become even more dangerous then South Waziristan Agency.
Scores of militants have also been killed in the offensive during the last three days.
Official sources confirmed that soldiers including SSG commandos have been killed in the battle for Tirah Valley on Saturday while over 30 militants have also been confirmed dead along with scores of others injured.
Sources said that SSG commandos along with regular army troops and Frontier Corps are battling to root out the last pockets of resistance in the Tirah Valley especially on the border of Orakzai Agency.
The landlocked area is reported to be a bastion of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other foreign militants.
The Tirah Valley offensive has entered a crucial phase, after softening of targets by gunships and jet fighters.
Ground troops along with local volunteers have been mobilised to clear the area.
The security experts had already hinted at a decisive strike in the Tirah Valley as the TTP and Lashkar-i-Islam had started consolidating their positions in the valley.
The two groups pose a serious threat to the settled areas especially Peshawar.
The FC media cell had confirmed on Friday that four soldiers were killed and over 14 militants had died in the clashes which have been continuing since then.
Sources have confirmed that one dead body of an SSG commando and six injured SSG soldiers along with eight other solders were shifted to the CMH Peshawar on Saturday.
Artillery and mortar shelling has also been intensified as troops had started advance march and door to door offensive to clear pockets of resistance.
The former secretary of security for FATA region and an expert on tribal affairs, Brigadier Mehmood Shah said that Tirah would become a headache for the Pakistan administration if it is not cleared of militants.
He said that the militants from Khyber Agencys Bara area and the Darra Admakhel TTP have also shifted their operational base to Tirah Valley as they consider it to be a safer place to regroup.
He added that if Tirah Valley is left unattended, it would become even more dangerous then South Waziristan Agency.