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| Pakistan madrassa raid 'kills 80' | Pakistan madrassa raid 'kills 80' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least 80 militants have been killed in an air strike by Pakistani forces on a madrassa (religious school) used as a militant training camp, the army says. | At least 80 militants have been killed in an air strike by Pakistani forces on a madrassa (religious school) used as a militant training camp, the army says. |
| The army said the madrassa in the tribal area of Bajaur bordering Afghanistan was destroyed by helicopter gunships early on Monday. | The army said the madrassa in the tribal area of Bajaur bordering Afghanistan was destroyed by helicopter gunships early on Monday. |
| One eyewitness told the BBC that 70-80 students were inside. A leading local politician says the dead were innocent. | One eyewitness told the BBC that 70-80 students were inside. A leading local politician says the dead were innocent. |
| Pakistan has deployed nearly 80,000 troops along the border. | Pakistan has deployed nearly 80,000 troops along the border. |
| This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa - they were innocent people Siraj ul-HaqProvincial minister In pictures: Madrassa hit Your say: Pakistan militancy | This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa - they were innocent people Siraj ul-HaqProvincial minister In pictures: Madrassa hit Your say: Pakistan militancy |
| They are there to hunt militants who sought refuge in the rugged tribal terrain after the ousting of the Taleban in Afghanistan in late 2001. | They are there to hunt militants who sought refuge in the rugged tribal terrain after the ousting of the Taleban in Afghanistan in late 2001. |
| President Pervez Musharraf has pledged to reform madrassas after many were criticised for supporting Islamic militancy. | President Pervez Musharraf has pledged to reform madrassas after many were criticised for supporting Islamic militancy. |
| Monday's attack took place near Khar, the main town in Bajaur. | Monday's attack took place near Khar, the main town in Bajaur. |
| The leader of the madrassa, radical cleric Maulana Liaqat, was among the dead. | |
| He was a prominent member of a group of pro-Taleban tribal clerics, the BBC's Rahimullah Yusufzai in Peshawar says. | He was a prominent member of a group of pro-Taleban tribal clerics, the BBC's Rahimullah Yusufzai in Peshawar says. |
| "We received confirmed intelligence reports that 70-80 militants were hiding in a madrassa used as a terrorist training facility, which was destroyed by an army strike, led by helicopters," army spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan told the Associated Press news agency. | "We received confirmed intelligence reports that 70-80 militants were hiding in a madrassa used as a terrorist training facility, which was destroyed by an army strike, led by helicopters," army spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan told the Associated Press news agency. |
| 'Saddened' | 'Saddened' |
| However, an eyewitness told the BBC that the madrassa school was filled with about 80 local students who had resumed studies after the Muslim Eid holidays. | However, an eyewitness told the BBC that the madrassa school was filled with about 80 local students who had resumed studies after the Muslim Eid holidays. |
| At least three helicopters were reportedly involved in the attack | At least three helicopters were reportedly involved in the attack |
| People at the scene told reporters that body parts were scattered in the area after the attack. | People at the scene told reporters that body parts were scattered in the area after the attack. |
| "We heard helicopters flying in and then heard bombs," villager Haji Youssef said. | "We heard helicopters flying in and then heard bombs," villager Haji Youssef said. |
| "We are all saddened by what we have seen." | "We are all saddened by what we have seen." |
| A cabinet minister from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, Siraj ul-Haq, has resigned in protest over the attack. | A cabinet minister from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, Siraj ul-Haq, has resigned in protest over the attack. |
| "This is a very wrong action. They [the victims] were not given any warning. This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa. They were innocent people," Siraj ul-Haq told the Associated Press before resigning. | "This is a very wrong action. They [the victims] were not given any warning. This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa. They were innocent people," Siraj ul-Haq told the Associated Press before resigning. |
| Journalists trying to get to the scene were being turned back as they tried to enter the Bajaur region. | Journalists trying to get to the scene were being turned back as they tried to enter the Bajaur region. |
| The attack came two days after local militants attended a rally in the area where they declared the al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Taleban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar as their heroes. | The attack came two days after local militants attended a rally in the area where they declared the al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Taleban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar as their heroes. |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says Monday morning's attack coincides with peace talks between tribal elders and pro-Taleban militants in Bajaur. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says Monday morning's attack coincides with peace talks between tribal elders and pro-Taleban militants in Bajaur. |
| Politician Siraj ul-Haq visited the scene of the attack | Politician Siraj ul-Haq visited the scene of the attack |
| The government had already released prisoners in anticipation of a deal, possibly along the lines of an agreement signed in the neighbouring tribal region of North Waziristan, our correspondent says. | The government had already released prisoners in anticipation of a deal, possibly along the lines of an agreement signed in the neighbouring tribal region of North Waziristan, our correspondent says. |
| But the army says peace talks would not be allowed to serve as a cover for militant activity. | But the army says peace talks would not be allowed to serve as a cover for militant activity. |
| Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan's insurgency-plagued eastern province of Kunar, was the scene of a controversial US air strike in January, believed to be aimed at al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. | Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan's insurgency-plagued eastern province of Kunar, was the scene of a controversial US air strike in January, believed to be aimed at al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. |
| The 13 January raid killed at least 18 people, mostly civilians. | The 13 January raid killed at least 18 people, mostly civilians. |
| In May, Pakistani authorities said a senior al-Qaeda figure, Abu Marwan al-Suri, had been killed in Bajaur during a clash with local police. | In May, Pakistani authorities said a senior al-Qaeda figure, Abu Marwan al-Suri, had been killed in Bajaur during a clash with local police. |