Peshawar, May 22 (NVI): In a short span of 3 days, the Pakistani military and other security agencies suffered hugely, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming to have killed and injured nearly 100 soldiers in multiple attacks and armed engagements.
Giving details, TTP spokesman Muhammad Khorasani said on May 20, a convoy of Pakistan Army, consisting of two vehicles, was ambushed in the Hindi Zhawar area of Garyum district of North Waziristan.
At least 5 military personnel were killed and two were injured in the attack which destroyed both the vehicles, he said.
The gunbattle started at around 4 pm (Pakistan Time) and carried on till 6 pm, the spokesman said, adding the army retrieved all its dead and injured personnel from the scene in three ambulances much later.
On the same day, at around 11 am, a mine blast was carried out on an army infantry unit in Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, in which 4 military personnel were killed and three were injured, he said.
The same evening, a new army check post was attacked with a laser gun in Daraban district of Dera Ismail Khan, in which several personnel were killed and injured, he said.
During the intervening night of May 20 and 21, the main gate of the Spin Qab post in Bara district of Khyber province was blown up with explosives, followed by an attack with laser guns, hand grenades and light weapons, in which three personnel were seriously injured, he said.
In Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, the Taliban Intelligence Agency (TIA) arrested Inspector Muhammad Hanif of the Anti-Narcotics Force during a secret operation and transferred him to an unknown location, Khorasani said.
The TTP cadres also blew up with explosives the main gate of the City Sabzi Mandi post in Bannu district, after which a counter-attack was launched in which 3 police personnel were killed, he said, adding a number of Chinese Kalashnikovs were seized by them.
At 8:45 am yesterday, soldiers guarding the Sark Leta post in the Khushhali area of Mir Ali district of North Waziristan province were attacked, with casualties reported, he said.
Three days ago, two vehicles of the Pakistan Army were ambushed in Shawal area of South Waziristan, causing unspecified number of casualties, the spokesman said, adding the vehicles remained parked there for a long time.
Two military personnel were targeted by a sniper attack in Shawal district of South Waziristan province on May 20, he said.
Yesterday, a soldier was killed by a sniper in the Qalandar Chaki Sar area of Makeen in South Waziristan, while a camera was also destroyed.
On May 19, a military camp in Gulistan area of Qila Abdullah in Pishin Province was attacked by a group of 3 TTP cadres, the spokesman said.
One fidayeen Zarar Taqbalullah first hit the outer periphery of the complex by blowing up a vehicle full of explosives. Subsequently, two others armed with modern weapons, stormed the camp and killed and injured dozens of soldiers in intense battles before getting killed.
After fighting a long battle, both the TTP fighters got killed, he said.
On May 19, the TTP cadres attacked the Mainz Khor military post in Darosh area of Chitral with light and heavy weapons, which lasted for about three hours, Khorasani said.
A large part of the post was destroyed in the attack, he said, adding it is reported that several personnel were killed and injured.
On the same morning, some soldiers, including SSG commandos, FC, CTD and police, raided the TTP cadres in the Ashrogi area of Lal Qila district of Lower Dir, he said.
The TTP cadres retaliated and fought a long battle in which one military personnel was killed and one was injured, the spokesman said.
A drone was also shot down, he said, adding all the Mujahideen remained completely safe in the battle.
In a major operation in Balochistan, a mine blast was carried out on an Army Vigo vehicle in the Abdullah Zai area of the Zhob district.
About 12 military personnel travelling in the vehicle were killed and injured, the TTP spokesman said, adding after this, another vehicle was also fired upon, in which further damage was reported.
A post located in the Khaza Sar area of the Salarzo district of Bajaur province was attacked with snipers and GL etc., in which one military personnel was killed and several were injured on May 20, he said.
On the morning of May 20, a sniper attack was carried out on the “Piran Military Post” located in Tapi area of Miranshah district of North Waziristan, in which one army personnel was killed and another was seriously injured.
On the same day, the Army, which was planning to raid a TTP base in Rajgal area of Jamrud district of Khyber province, was attacked, in which about 15 personnel were killed and their bodies remained lying on the battlefield for 6 hours, Khorasani said.
Eight personnel were injured and surrounded, while the rest of the army was forced to retreat, he said, adding the TTP cadres fired 17 Rocket-Propelled Guns (RPGs).
Later, the Army, using gunship helicopters and two American drones, heavily bombarded the TTP positions, which lasted for 2 hours, due to which the Mujahideen allowed them to pick up the bodies, he said, adding all the Mujahideen remained completely safe. (NVI)
