Anti-Taliban militia kills 13 militants

[July 23, 2011]  PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) -- A Pakistani official says an anti-Taliban militia has killed 13 militants in clashes near the Afghan border.

Local administrator Noor Alam Khan says several militiamen and insurgents were also wounded in the gunbattles Friday and Saturday in the Kurram tribal region.

Encouraged by Islamabad, the tribesmen recently formed the militia to kill or evict Taliban militants and their supporters from the region. They have killed 25 insurgents in clashes this week.

Kurram is located near Afghanistan. The Pakistani military also has carried out several offensives against Taliban who are hiding in the area after escaping last year's offensive in the nearby Orakzai tribal region.

[Associated Press]

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