Pakistani soldiers storm martyr's mosque
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Pakistani soldiers storm martyr's mosque*
Pakistan's troops move towards the Red Mosque in Islamabad on 10 July 2007
The operation was launched early in the morning
Troops in Pakistan's city of Islamabad have stormed the Red Mosque,
after talks with radicals broke down.
"It is a final push to clear the place of armed militants," said
military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad.
The army said at 20 militants were killed in the operation, as loud
explosions and gunfire were heard.
Twenty children escaped from the mosque, where women are also being
held. Three soldiers are reported killed and some 20 others injured.
The military operation began at about 0400 (2300 GMT Monday).
The troops entered the compound and exchanged fire with the militants
holed up inside.
Men wait for news of family members inside the Red Mosque
It is an anxious wait for those with relatives inside the mosque
The army said 20 militants were killed and another 15 injured.
Local medical officials said 20 government troops were injured, and
three had died of their wounds after being taken to local hospitals.
The army says it has taken over the building's roof.
However, it is meeting particularly strong resistance from militants in
the basement, reports the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan at the scene.
Those inside the mosque are using hand grenades, light machine guns,
petrol bombs and other weapons, and the army says it expects the
operation will last another four hours.
Ambulances are waiting nearby to help any wounded.
It is not clear exactly how many people were left inside the mosque when
the assault began.
'Very disappointed'
Talks aimed at resolving the crisis peacefully reportedly broke down
over the militants' demand for an amnesty for all inside the mosque.
The government wants to detain a number of people on a wanted list, and
also a number of foreigners whom it says are inside.
"I am returning very disappointed," said former PM Chaudhry Shujaat
Hussain, after talks conducted by loudspeaker and mobile phone with
mosque leader Abdul Rashid Ghazi.
"We offered him a lot, but he wasn't ready to come on our terms," said
Mr Hussain.
Students at the Red Mosque and its attached religious schools have been
defying the authorities for several months in their campaign for Sharia
law in the capital.
Security forces began their siege of the mosque a week ago, not long
after students there abducted seven Chinese workers they accused of
running a brothel.
On Monday, three Chinese workers were killed in Peshawar in an attack
said to be linked to the unrest in Islamabad.
There is speculation that Islamic militants may be targeting Chinese
people in Pakistan.
Women and children
Religious affairs minister Ejaz-ul-Haq, one of the negotiators who tried
to reach an agreement, has described those in charge at the mosque as
"hardened terrorists".
At least 21 people have died since fighting erupted when the army
surrounded the mosque last Tuesday, including an army commander shot
dead inside the mosque on Sunday.
Mr ul-Haq said women and children had been locked up on two floors of
the Jamia Hafsa religious school, which is attached to the mosque.
As many as five "hardcore terrorists" were inside the mosque, he added,
saying that one person killed on the first day of the siege belonged to
Jaish-e-Mohammad, an outlawed radical Muslim organisation which has been
linked to al-Qaeda.
Mosque leader Abdul Rashid Ghazi has denied the presence of any banned
extremist groups.
He says those inside are students of his religious school and he is in
charge.
Abdul Rashid Ghazi has said as many as 1,800 followers remained in the
mosque, although this cannot be verified.
Earlier, Mr ul-Haq said up to 250 militants - including foreign radicals
- were leading the fighting.
More than 1,000 supporters left last week under mounting pressure from
security forces, although only about 20 have left since Friday.