Islamabad: Around 30 Pakistani troops were feared killed early this morning when Taliban militants captured a fort manned by security forces in the restive South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The Taliban militants captured the Sararogha fort manned by about 40 personnel of the Frontier Corps in the early hours today, sources close to local authorities said. The militants launched an attack on the fort, located about 80 km from South Waziristan's main town of Wana, at about 9 pm yesterday.

The sources and TV channels reported that 20 to 30 troops were either killed or missing following the attack. There were also reports that some of the troops were captured by the militants and some others had managed to reach the nearby Ladha fort.

The Pakistan Army confirmed the attack but denied that the Taliban had taken control of the fort.

Journalists in Wana also confirmed the attack and said that around 1,000 armed Taliban were involved in the attack on Sararogha fort. They also claimed the militants had taken 10 troops hostage.

Local authorities in Wana said that they lost contact with the fort after 9 PM.

Reports said the Taliban fighters first opened fire on the fort with rockets and automatic weapons from nearby mountains. The security forces launched a counter-attack and used artillery and mortars.

Locals said the exchange of fire lasted around four hours. But later the forces stopped firing and Taliban entered the fort and also shifted weapons from the fort.

The shifting of the arms continued till this morning. The Taliban also took away the soldiers who survived the attack, the locals said.
Source : PTI