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Pakistan Says Three Taliban Helicopters Captured
ISLAMABAD, Oct 9 (IslamOnline) - Pakistani security forces have captured six gunship helicopters of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, which landed at Quetta airport, southeast of the city, and the northern tribal area of Kurram Agency, which borders Afghanistan and is some 100 kilometers from Peshawar, officials said Tuesday.
IslamOnline's correspondent in Afghanistan, Aamir Latif, said that according to officials, U.S. authorities had provided information to Pakistan that the gunships were located there.
This was the first joint operation of U.S.-Pakistani forces of the campaign since the U.S. launched its air strikes on Afghanistan.
Latif contacted a Taliban defense ministry official in Kandahar who confirmed the seizure of the three helicopters by Pakistani authorities, but refused to comment further.
Intelligence sources say that three helicopters had taken off from an unknown airbase in Afghanistan's Paktia province Monday and landed at Kurram Agency, where Pakistani security forces took them into possession and arrested the pilots.
Three more helicopter gunships were forced to land at Quetta airport Tuesday morning while passing over Pakistani air space. These helicopters flew in from Kandahar.
The pilots of the respective helicopters have been handed over to Pakistani security officials.
Sources say security officials are facing difficulties in transporting the helicopters from Kurram agency to Pakistan's Air Force Airbase in Peshawar, as powerful tribal chiefs are impeding efforts.
Meanwhile, the government has closed eight airports for normal flights for an indefinite period, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources said.
These airports include, Dera Ghazi Khan, Peshawar, Sibbi, Panjgore, Gawadar, Pasni, Turbat and Quetta. No official reason has been cited for the closures.
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