VOA : Pakistani Military in Last Stages of Anti-Militant Operation at Mosque

Pakistani Military in Last Stages of Anti-Militant Operation at Mosque

By VOA News | 11 July 2007

Pakistani military officials say they are in the final stages of rooting out Islamic militants holed up in Islamabad's Red Mosque, a day after troops began an assault on the complex.

Officials say Pakistani forces are clearing out a residential area of the mosque's compound Wednesday. More than 50 militants and eight Pakistani soldiers were killed as troops raided the compound on Tuesday.

Among those killed was the cleric leading resistance at the mosque, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who advocated strict Taleban-style Islamic law in Pakistan.

Ghazi and his followers had refused to surrender prior to the raid. He said he hoped his death would provoke an Islamic revolution in Pakistan.

Authorities estimate the military has detained about 70 militants and rescued more than 80 people from the complex, including women and children.

The government says some militants in the mosque are linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

The military assault came less than an hour after government negotiators said they had failed to end the seven-day standoff.

U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said Tuesday that Pakistani authorities had made a number of attempts to peacefully resolve the matter.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters