Asad Zia
TIMERGARA, Pakistan: Pakistani forces killed 23 militants early on Tuesday in fighting that erupted after insurgents fired on troops during a search operation in Lower Dir area of Maidan, in the country’s northwest, police and intelligence officials said. The search was launched after a suicide bomb attack on a paramilitary fort in Timergara of Lower Dir district, where troops killed hundreds of militants in an offensive last year. According to the detail fighting began when miscreants opened fire on troops searching the area after reports of militant movement there. A resident of the area said 23 militants were killed in the pre-dawn exchange of fire in the Maidan area. Fresh violence after a relative silence has again focused attention on Pakistan’s performance against homegrown Taliban insurgents. A security man was killed and 14 other people including 11 securities personal were injured when a suicide bomber struck a check post of security personal on Monday, July, 6, 2010. Asad Zia, asadzia2pk@yahoo.com