Fighting Between Militants, Troops Rages in Pakistan

Pakistani officials say at least eight militants have been killed in northwest Pakistan, as security forces continue to target militant hideouts.

Fighting continued for another day in the Bajaur tribal agency Thursday. The day before, authorities said at least three soldiers and six militants were killed in clashes there.

Meanwhile, senior Pakistani intelligence officials, who did not give their names, confirmed to the Associated Press that a top commander of the militant Haqqani network, Badruddin Haqqani, was killed last week in a U.S. drone strike in the North Waziristan tribal agency.

The al-Qaida and Taliban-linked group is blamed for a number of attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

Also Thursday, the United States announced it has placed sanctions on eight members of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The group is blamed for the 2008 terrorist attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai that killed 166 people. ?

The U.S. Treasury froze any assets of the Lashkar members, including Sajjid Mir, who allegedly helped plan the assaults.

Separately, Pakistani officials said gunmen killed a Shi'ite Muslim judge in Quetta, the capital of the southwestern province of Baluchistan. Police suspect it was a sectarian attack.

Earlier this month, gunmen killed 22 Shi'ites after ordering them off buses in Baluchistan.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

Source: http://www.voanews.com/content/fighting_between_militants_troops_rages_on_in_pakistan/1498724.html

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