Women, children with cleric in basement of Pakistan mosque: army
Posted: 10 July 2007 1553 hrs

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ISLAMABAD: A radical cleric leading resistance to government troops at a Pakistani mosque is holed up in the basement of the complex along with women and children, the military said on Tuesday.

"Forces have cleared 75 per cent of the area. Women and children are in the basement and so is Ghazi," army spokesman General Waheed told state television, referring to mullah Abdul Rashid Ghazi.

"We are making repeated announcements telling Ghazi that if he surrenders nothing will happen to him," he said.

Arshad earlier said that heavily armed militants were also barricaded in the basement of the pro-Taliban Red Mosque.

Officials have said that many women and children were being held as human shields in the compound.

But Ghazi and other mosque officials have denied any women and children were there against their will.


- AFP/so