Pakistani President OKs final operation against Red Mosque militants

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Source: CCTV.com | 07-09-2007 07:56

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf gave the go ahead decision for the final operation against defiant Lal Masjid militants on Sunday night, a private TV channel DAWN NEWS reported Sunday. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has given the go-ahead for security forces to end the stand-off at Islamabad's Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque. The president attended a funeral on Sunday for an army commander killed in siege.

Musharraf attended the funeral of a special forces commander shot during a Saturday overnight operation near Red Mosque.

His killing brought the death toll to 21 since the conflict began about a week ago.

Musharraf gave the militants a surrender-or-die ultimatum on Saturday.

He met top security officials on Sunday evening and approved plans for the final operation against Red Mosque militants.

Journalists near the mosque have been expelled from the area.

Security forces have started searching buildings in curfew areas near the mosque.

Meanwhile, government workers distributed free food, including sacks of rice and cartons of milk to people in the neighborhood surrounding the mosque.

They have had difficulty leaving their homes since the curfew was imposed to prevent militants escaping the mosque.

Editor:Du Xiaodan