Peshawar, Nov : As many as 15 persons suspected Taliban were killed as troops backed by helicopter gunships targeted hideouts in the Swat valley last evening.

The regional military spokesman said that 11 Taliban were killed in the Mangaltan area of Charbagh tehsil.

Besides, two suspects were also killed in the Gashkor area of Khwazakhela. Other two were shot dead in the Chapparyal area in Matta tehsil.

Local PPP leader Sirajuddin and a woman councilor were shot dead separately in the troubled valley on Monday, reported the Daily Times.

According to the paper, five Taliban were killed when troops retaliated to raids on several checkposts in the Pindyali tehsil of Mohmand Agency early on Monday.

Peshawar, Nov 23 : In the recent months, especially after September when the Pakistan military launched a hot pursuit policy against the Taliban militants, the Pakistani military has sought to turn the local tribesmen’s anger against the Taliban.

Over the past couple of months, the Pakistani military has raised tribal militias, known as lashkars, and given them license to kill militants in Bajaur and several other tribal zones. In addition to artillery and logistics support, they also would be given Chinese-made weapons, said an article in the Washington Times.

Peshawar, Nov. 22 : Aid workers have started withdrawing from the city of Peshawar, as armed men, especially Islamist militants and criminal gangs continue to hold the northwestern city to ransom through a spate of kidnappings.

One senior police official told The Times that there had been 124 reported cases of kidnapping this year alone.

The real number could be higher as most people do not trust the police, preferring to pay the ransom.

Landikotal (Pakistan), Nov 20 : Due the ongoing military operations in Bajaur and Mohmand tribal agencies, people fleeing from here are coming to Peshawar through Afghanistan, an official at the Torkham border reportedly said.

The official said over 200 people have crossed the border in a single day.

“We had to cross into the bordering areas of Afghanistan and cover a long distance to reach the border because security forces have blocked roads leading from the two agencies to Peshawar,” the Daily Times quoted a senior citizen from Mohmand Agency as saying.

Peshawar, Nov 20 : Mass exodus of people continues from militancy-hit spots of the Mohmand Agency to safer places, amid security forces’ attacks on militants’ hideouts in different tribal areas.

Security forces targeted the militants’ positions in Qandaro, Dawaizai, Pandyalai and Michni areas with artillery, but report about casualties could not be confirmed due to dysfunctional communication system in these areas, The News quoted sources as saying.

Peshawar, Nov 19 : Pakistan Police has decided to set up special diplomatic zone for the protection of foreign diplomats in Peshawar after it failed to make any progress towards recovery of abducted Afghan and Iranian diplomats on Wednesday.

Taking to Geo News, SSP Kashif Alam said that police is probing the kidnapping of Iran’s commercial attaché Hashmatullah Atharzade and Afghan’s ambassador-designate Abdul Khaliq Farahi.

“We have drafted the final recommendations aimed at safeguarding foreign diplomats in future.” These recommendations, he said, would be forwarded to the federal government soon.