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Militants resist Pakistan army clampdown

2006-03-06 Miranshah: Pakistani forces used helicopter gunships to tackle sporadic resistance by pro-Taliban militants, two days after battles in a remote tribal area killed 55 people, officials said.

Top military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP that the army had seized control of the main markets in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan region, and were patrolling the streets to ensure order.

"Late yesterday and overnight there was an exchange of fire with militants but we are establishing the government writ," he said, adding that troops had taken back all government buildings in the embattled town.

Troops shelled and destroyed two buildings overnight, a madrassa and an Islamic preaching center, which security officials said were used by insurgents as sanctuaries. It was not known if there were any casualties.

As troops clamped down in Miranshah, militants fired a rocket into the residential quarters of government employees, killing the daughter of a utility service official, officials said.

Early Monday, US-built Cobra gunships pounded a small hamlet near Miranshah market after rockets were fired at the army positions, apparently from one of the houses, a local official said.

He said telephone links to Miranshah had been partially restored.

The fighting broke out on Saturday when hundreds of tribal rebels seized government buildings in revenge for an army raid three days earlier targeting an Al-Qaeda training camp, killing 40 militants, including foreigners.

Around 50 militants and five soldiers were killed in the fierce weekend fighting, a senior security official told AFP on Sunday.

Amid mounting fears of insecurity, terrified families were seen fleeing Miranshah carrying their belongings as they walk for miles to safer places.

Local officials said militants retreated to their mountain hideouts after gunship helicopters and artillery pounded their positions heavily on Saturday night.

Two local militants were leading the uprising, officials said -- Maulvi Abdul Khaleq, who called for "holy war" on the army after Wednesday's raid on the Al-Qaeda camp in Saidgai village just outside Miranshah, and Maulvi Sadiq Noor.

"If we kill or capture these two miscreants we know the resistance will collapse like a pack of cards," a senior army official told AFP.

At checkposts around the town, paramilitary and army personnel frisked men before allowing them and women and children to leave.

Pakistani forces have spent the last four years battling Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants who sneaked across from Afghanistan after a US-led military operation toppled the Taliban in late 2001.

They have also battled their local supporters -- who are blamed for the current unrest.