Pakistan: Villagers enraged by mosque attack battle Taliban, kill 14

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Hundreds of Pakistani residents have taken up arms and are battling local Taliban militants in the wake of a deadly mosque attack last week.

It is the first major battle between the residents of northwest Pakistan and Taliban militants near the Afghanistan border.

The residents are outraged over a suicide attack on a local mosque during Friday prayers that killed at least 40 people and wounded some 80 others.

Starting on Saturday morning, some 400 villagers in the Upper Dir district formed a "lashkar" -- or militia -- to fight the Taliban, killing 14 of the militants as of Sunday evening, according to local administrator Atiq Ur Rehman. Four of the villagers have been injured in the battle, Rehman said.

The militia have burned a number of houses thought to be sheltering the militants, according to Upper Dir police chief Ijaz Kahn.

Both the residents and Taliban fighters are using heavy weapons, including rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weapons, Rehman said....

It is about time that these people stand up for themselves.