Attackers linked to Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir groups: ISPR

RAWALPINDI, Aug 27, 2011: At least 25 security forces personnel embraced martyrdom when some 300 terrorists from across the border in the Aghan provinces of Kunar and Nooristan attacked seven checkposts of Frontier Constabulary (FC) in Chitral early Saturday morning.

According to ISPR, the martyred personnel included 16 Frontier Scouts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four policemen and five Levies.

The security personnel defended the posts by engaging the attackers and reportedly 20 terrorists were killed. However, two border posts were overrun by the terrorists. Reinforcements had been sent to beef up the border posts.

Reportedly terrorists from Swat, Dir and Bajur organized by Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir Mohammad with local Afghans attacked the security forces posts in Chitral.

Since their expulsion from their native areas, the terrorists have organized themselves in Kunar and Nooristan provinces with the support of local Afghan authorities.

Due to scanty presence of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and ANA (Afghan National Army) forces along Pak-Afghan border, the terrorists are using these areas as safe havens and have mounted repeated attacks against security forces posts and isolated villages of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that since last one year accurate intelligence about large concentration of terrorists from Pakistan and their local Afghan supporters in Kunar and Nooristan provinces has been shared with NATO and Afghan authorities but no worthwhile action has been taken against them and attacks against Pakistani border posts have continued with impunity.--APP