ISLAMABAD, May 12 (APP): In Dir, Boner and Swat, so far 751 militants including a High Value Target have been killed while security forces suffered 29 shaheeds and 77 injured, said Director General ISPR Major General Athar Abbas. “A high value target Ibne Aqil, who is younger brother of Ibne Amin a militant commander of Matta, was also killed during the operation,” he said  while addressing a Media Briefing at PID here.  Secretary Information and Broadcasting Ashfaq Ahmed Gondal and a  senior officer of newly formed Special Support Group for Internally Displaced Persons, Brig. Aamir were also present at the Media Briefing.

The Director General ISPR said the figures of causality inflicted upon militants has been accumulated since April 27 till date. “The security forces in Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir and Bunre have achieved considerable success. Miscreants are at run now.”

Major Gen. Athar said the criminal elements who had sided with hardcore militants are deserting them alongwith fresh recruits. “During the conduct of operation measures have been taken to avoid collateral damage. Only the confirmed hideouts of militants away from populated areas are being targeted.”

He said the Army on orders by the Federal Government started operations against militants in Swat and adjoining areas on May 8. “So far over 402 militants have been killed in the operation Rah‑e‑Haq 4.”

Militants stronghold in Mingora, Poechar, Kabal, Khwazakhela and Shangla have been targeted successfully, he said adding at Binai Baba miscreants training camp was destroyed in which reportedly 200 militants were killed on Saturday.

Since start of Operation in Swat, 18 security forces personnel have embraced shahadat, he said.

On Tuesday, he said, Pakistan Army heli‑borne troops have been successfully dropped in Poechar valley with the mission to search and destroy the miscreants hideouts. The Poechar valley is the headquarter of militant commander Maulvi Fazalullah.

Director General ISPR Major Gen. Athar Abbas said that cordon and  search operation has been continuing at Baini Baba Ziarat where miscreant suffered heavily while 11 security personnel received injuries.

He said that miscreants were firing from Mam Dheri where the security forces made successful raids and killed four militants.

At Grid station Swat, he said, security forces personnel are holding their position for the last 8 days and fighting valiantly against the militants. “These personnel are surrounded from all the directions. In the encounter two security personnel embraced shahadat.”

On Monday, miscreants attacked Kanju police station and Kanju fort where four personnel embraced shahadat while six others sustained injuries.

Operation in Dir is still continuing at Hayya Sarai. Three soldiers were injured at Shah Bandai in exchange of fire with miscreants, he said.

He said consolidation by security forces around Daggar was continued  while exchange of fire continued in Sultanwas which has been surrounded by the security forces.

Answering a question, he said that a few arrests of militants have also been made and process of preliminary investigation from them is continuing.

He told a questioner that all the procedures with utmost care are being exercised for the screening of militants from the civil population to avoid that they may not join the camps made for IDPs.

Brig. Aamir supplementing him said that proper scrutiny of the IDPs is being carried out through the verification process with the help of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

“Every effort is in hand that there may be no militant in the garb of civilians or IDPs,” he said. He said so far around 1.3 million people have been reported at the camps made for IDPs.

“Management of IDPs is a great challenge,” he added.

He dispelled the impression that there was any possibility of setting  up of any camp in Rawalpindi or Islamabad for IDPs. “A comfortable number of camps have been established and more could be established on as and when required basis.”

      In reply to another question, Major Gen. Athar said that the security forces are making all out efforts to plug all the inlets and out lets of the operation area with the aim that no militants could sneak out.

“There is a state of war in the operation area and inconveniences  would be caused to the local populace due to imposition of curfew for longer intervals ‑the security forces are operating under a well chalked out plan,” he said.