Battle of Mir Ali

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Mir Ali


caption=Location of Mir Ali in North Waziristan
partof=the War in Waziristan
place=Mir Ali, Pakistan
date=October 7 - October 10 2007
result=Ceasefire
combatant1=flagicon|Pakistan Pakistani Army
combatant2=flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban Taliban
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=47 killed, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7037102.stm BBC NEWS | South Asia | Burials follow Waziristan clashes ] ] 13 missing,cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7034795.stm | title=Battles rage on Pakistan border | publisher=BBC | date=2007-10-09 | accessdate=2007-10-10]
20 wounded
casualties2=175 killed, 100 wounded
casualties3=35 civilians killedThe Battle of Mir Ali occurred between October 7 and October 10 2007 and involved Taliban militants and Pakistani soldiers around the town of Mir Ali, Pakistan (North Waziristan), the second biggest town in the semi-autonomous region on the border with Afghanistan.

Timeline of the battle

According to the military of Pakistan, the clashes broke out on October 7 after militants set off improvised explosive devices and conducted ambushes on a Pakistani convoy, near the town of Mir Ali. The subsequent engagements killed nearly 200 people. The army says the casualties were militants and soldiers but local people reported at least ten civilians were among the dead. Hundreds of people fled Mir Ali after more than 50 houses were damaged in the fighting. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/CB4507F8-0993-4C12-9F56-9BD7FD748AD3.htm Al Jazeera English - News - Scores Killed In Pakistan Battles ] ] [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/871DEA53-20D1-4CEC-B184-342AB487FFE4.htm Al Jazeera English - News - Scores Killed In Waziristan Clashes ] ]

After a number of attacks on military convoys, near Mir Ali, the army sent helicopter gunships and jet fighters to target suspected militant positions in several villages around that region.

The military reported that 50 soldiers went missing in the area during the clashes, but that contact had been established with 37 soldiers. The other 13 remained missing.

On October 9, according to the Pakistani Army, military aircraft struck "one or two places" near Mir Ali. There were unconfirmed reports that about 50 militants had been killed. But later reports from witnesses stated that 50 people were killed, and it was a mix of civilians and militants killed when a bazaar was hit. [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EB3E20EC-5619-4A0E-B592-0CBCFA263126.htm Al Jazeera English - News - Civilians Killed In Pakistan Battle ] ]

On October 10, thousands of tribesmen gathered in the village of Epi to bury 50 people killed when about one dozen explosions destroyed shops and homes, residents said.

Truce

On October 15, Pakistani soldiers and tribal fighters in the northwestern province of North Waziristan agreed to a truce, and the Pakistani forces lifted the curfew over the area. [cite news | author =Aamir Latif| title =Curfew lifted in northwest Pakistan| publisher =Al Jazeera| date=2007-10-16| url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/79CC6C5B-13BC-46BE-B71A-49DCAA18E261.htm Retrieved on 7 January 2008] This truce was over by the end of the month. [cite news | title =Pakistani truce collapses| publisher =News.com.au| date=2007-11-01| url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22683967-23109,00.html| accessdate=2007-12-03]

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7034795.stm Pakistani border death toll rises] (BBC)