Pakistani troops on Tuesday consolidated their positions around several former Taliban strongholds in the lawless South Waziristan tribal region and “completely cleared” Sararogha, once a main militant bastion while tightening noose around Kaniguram and Makeen.
Troops captured a strategic area near the former militant base of Sararogha and cleared Khazhikai and Shuza Sar villages, where several Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and weapons were recovered. “Sararogha has been completely cleared and is fully under the control of security forces,” the military said in a statement.
Soldiers also consolidated their positions in areas around the former militant strongholds of Kaniguram and Makeen. Fifteen compounds were cleared and a tunnel system used by militants was destroyed during a search operation at Torwam near Kaniguram.
Brigadier Shafiq, Pakistan Army commander of Sararogha, claimed large number of Uzbek militants had been killed in the fighting on Tuesday. He also said forces had seized 70 landmines and 21 suicide blast jackets.
“Pak Army took control of the town which once was the operational headquarters of ‘slain’ Taliban leaders Baitullah Mehsud, after five days of operation,” he said.
Troops “responded effectively” when militants targeted them with rockets near Kaniguram. For the second consecutive day, the military did not report any casualties among militants during the operations in South Waziristan.
