Dec 22 — At least 40 people have been killed in an attack by the Pakistan Army on Mir Ali, a major town in North Waziristan. Helicopter gunships and artillery fire began pounding the town following reports that five Pakistani soldiers were killed by militants on Wednesday. The Army claims that it has killed scores of insurgents, but residents say most of the dead were civilians.
Forty-four people have died and dozens more injured in the attack according to locals of the area. Residents say that twenty-five of the dead were workers and guests at a hotel near the Mir Ali Kajori checkpost. A few of the dead have been identified as Sherin Wali, Zulfaraz, Mirhawas and Qafayat. Twelve of the dead were from the area and another 13 came from Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Peshawar and were staying at the hotel.
In a second village, Musaki, 13 people were killed, with 7 of them belonging to the same family of a local government worker in the education department identified as Sana ullah Khan. Of the seven dead, 2 were women and 5 were children who were all killed when army shells fell on their home. Another local, Mohammad Tayyeb of the same village lost his wife, 2 daughters and a son when security forces opened fire on his home. In the village of Haider Khel, Mir Shah Habib was also killed.
The attack by the Pakistan Army comes on the heels of a curfew which has been in place for the last week across North Waziristan. Residents have been confined to their homes with food and supplies running low. A local elder, Malik Saleh Jan said that his children have been begging him for roti or bread.
Residents of the area are demanding that the government open the area to journalists and the media.
[…] claims that it killed scores of militants. Residents say that most of the dead are civilians. The attack began after a military convoy was attacked on its way to a checkpoint on December 18th. Two days […]
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