By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan army has captured a strategic area in the troubled Bajaur tribal region after losing over 70 soldiers in the fighting, a senior military officials said Saturday.
Heavy fighting had erupted in the Loisam area of Bajaur district on August 6, 2008 and the militants had surrounded the troops and later killed them.
Loisam lies on the strategically important road leading towards the main northwestern city of Peshawar.
The fighting started when hundreds of militants poured into the area attacking government forces.
After four days of fighting on August 10 the military withdrew from the area.
Major General Tariq Khan, inspector general of troops, called Frontier Crops, told reporters that the forces have now taken control of Loisam, 25 kilometers from Khar, the center of Bajaur.
Khan said that 1500 militants have been killed in several weeks of fighting in Bajaur. He said that 74 soldiers have also been killed in the fighting.
He said that Pakistani militants in Bajaur are receiving support from neighbouring Afghanistan.
He alleged that armed militants in the groups of around 200 each used to enter Bajaur from Afghanistan in the earlier days of the offensive to fight against the forces.
He said that the militants were fighting against the Pakistani forces under the leadership of Afghan commander Qari Zia ur Rehman. He added that Chechens, Uzbek, Afghan and Turkmen fighters are present in Bajaur, who are receiving foreign aid.
Khan said that forces have taken control of 40 kilometers area in the one-and-half month offensive and pushed militants from their strongholds of Khar, Tank Khata, Rashkai, Loisam and surrounding areas.
Asked as to why military launched major offensives in Bajaur despite the presence of militants in other areas, he said, “Bajaur is important strategically. Access is east from here to Afghanistan, Mohmand tribal agency, Swat valley and Dir district and other parts of the North West. Bajaur is considered the center of fighting”.
He said the security forces are not facing a traditional war but the militants are active in a well-organized way.
He said the forces have discovered tunnels during offensive.