Three militants, three suspected US spies killed in Pakistan

By DPA

Islamabad : Pakistani troops Monday killed three pro-Taliban gunmen during an attack on two checkpoints in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, while guerrillas executed three suspected US spies over the weekend, officials said.


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Insurgents fired rockets at the posts in Dargai and Magai in South Waziristan in a pre-dawn assault, injuring two soldiers, military spokesman Major General Arshad Waheed said.

Three militants were killed and several more injured as the security forces returned fire.

There has been a rise in insurgent attacks on security troops in recent weeks in remote parts of South Waziristan, which is believed to be a hotbed of pro-Taliban fighters and Al Qaeda terrorists.

Militants last week abducted 16 paramilitary troops from the Frontier Corps near Wana, the district’s main city, while the unit was travelling to its base by road.

According to Pakistan’s Daily Times newspaper they have demanded the release of ten of their compatriots being held in custody.

Meanwhile, the beheaded bodies of two Afghan refugees were found Sunday in different parts of the neighbouring district of North Waziristan with notes saying they were killed for spying for US, newspapers reported.

“All those spying for the Americans will meet the same fate,” the note warned in the local Pashtu language.

The bullet-ridden body of a third Afghan refugee was found in the same area, which is also plagued by militant violence.

More than 250 bodies of suspected US spies and pro-government tribal elders were reportedly found in the border region in the past few years but no arrests have been made.

Pakistan has deployed around 90,000 soldiers along its western frontier but Washington and Kabul say more must be done to eliminate safe-havens of militant groups that launch attacks against NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan.

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