Villagers in Pakistan’s Swat valley have found the bodies of 14 suspected militants, reviving concern about extra-judicial killings after a successful army offensive against Taliban militants.
The military went on the offensive in the Taliban bastion of Swat, northwest of Islamabad, in late April and has killed or driven hundreds of al-Qaeda-linked insurgents out of the former tourist valley.
But as the army finishes up its searches and residents displaced by the fighting return home, bodies of suspected Taliban members have been turning up.
Fourteen bodies were found late on Monday dumped in fields on the outskirts of Charbagh town, villagers and district officials said.
“The bodies were lying in different fields and had bullet wounds,” said Wali Khan, a teacher in the town.
Earlier, about 18 bodies were found in different parts of Swat and the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it suspected security agencies had carried out extra-judicial killings.
“We call for a proper investigation to find out who killed them, who were the dead, whether they were militants, innocent people or by-stander,” said I.A. Rehman, secretary general of the rights group.
“We’ve already demanded an investigation but nothing has happened. It’s a serious matter and must be looked into,” Rehman said.
The military has denied any involvement in the killings.
“This could be a result of revenge by the local people,” military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said. “It could be a reaction to all that happened to the people in Swat.”
Militants infiltrated into Swat with large supplies of arms and ammunition to support a radical cleric demanding the introduction of hardline Islamist rule.
The army launched its first offensive against them in late 2007, pushing the gunmen into remote mountains but they drifted back into the valley’s towns after the offensive ended.
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