Pakistan Link : Lal Masjid cleared, 73 bodies collected

Lal Masjid cleared, 73 bodies collected

* Bodies include no women
* Security forces clearing complex of mines and booby traps
* Media to be taken inside today
* 100 graves dug in Sector H-11 graveyard

By Zulfiqar Ghuman and Irfan Ghauri | JUly 12, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Security forces collected 73 bodies of militants as they cleared Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa of mines and booby traps on Wednesday after flushing out or killing all the militants holed up inside.

Special forces stormed the mosque at 4:30am on Tuesday and finished the first phase – clearing the compound of militants – by noon on Wednesday, while the second phase – sweeping the complex for unexploded ordnance and booby traps and collecting bodies – was still underway, Major General Arshad Waheed, director general of ISPR, told reporters in the afternoon.

He said later in the day as the cleanup operation was almost complete that 73 bodies had been collected, and none of them were of women.

However, a promised tour of the compound for the media was delayed from Wednesday to Thursday, and restrictions on journalists visiting hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained in place.

Gen Arshad said that another soldier was injured in fighting overnight, taking the casualty figures for the armed forces to 10 deaths and 33 wounded. The death toll includes Lt Colonel Haroonul Islam, who was killed on Monday. Three more militants were also killed in fighting overnight, the military spokesman said. Some 50 militants were said to have been killed on Tuesday.

He would not comment on any civilian casualties. Militants were said to be holding hundreds of women and children hostage in the compound before the operation was launched. A group of 27 women were able to leave the mosque unharmed on Tuesday.

Gen Arshad said the 164 commandos who stormed the mosque had cleared each room in the complex in a systematic manner to avoid collateral damage. “No suicide attack was reported on security forces during the operation,” he added.

Earlier in the morning, a series of blasts rocked the area prompting re-enforcements to be called in. Sporadic gunfire and blasts were heard throughout the day as security forces continued the cleanup operation.

The security forces claimed to have arrested 15 injured militants on Wednesday. The government handed over 100 more students to their parents, taking the total to 247.

Daily Times Monitor adds: Around 100 graves were being prepared in Sector H-11 graveyard for the collective burial of militants killed in the Lal Masjid operation, Geo news reported.

Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk