ISLAMABAD, 9 March 2006 — Heavily-armed Pakistani security forces bombed suspected militant hide-outs near the Afghan border yesterday after a government official survived an ambush on his convoy, sources said.

Meanwhile, Commander of the US Central Command Gen. Abizaid, who flew into Islamabad Tuesday, had a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf at the Army House here yesterday. Gen. Abizaid was invited to Islamabad by Musharraf after a verbal duel between Pakistan and Afghanistan over Taleban fighters.

The violence in the North Waziristan tribal region has highlighted the challenge Musharraf faces from Pakistani militants allied to Al-Qaeda as Pakistan wages its part of the war on terrorism.

More than 120 people have been killed since militants, most believed to be ethnic Pashtun tribesmen, attacked government forces and buildings on Saturday, in revenge for a March 1 attack that killed 45 of their comrades.

The government’s top official in North Waziristan, Zaheerul Islam, told Reuters one of his bodyguards was killed in the late Tuesday ambush as he was traveling from the curfew-bound town of Miranshah to the city of Peshawar.

Islam said four of the attacking gunmen had been killed as his guards fought back. Later, security forces shelled suspected militant hideouts in the area.

“Miscreants’ hide-outs were destroyed and this operation will continue,” Islam said.

Many Al-Qaeda militants fled to the semi-autonomous area after US and Afghan opposition forces ousted the Taleban in 2001, and were given refuge by Taleban supporters among Pashtun clans who inhabit both sides of the border.

Pakistani forces have been trying to clear foreign militants from the area and subdue their Pakistani allies since 2004 and hundreds of people have been killed.

Residents of the area said artillery fire resounded all night and more people were joining the thousands who had already fled.

US-based Human Rights Watch said it had received reports of some civilian deaths but it had been impossible to verify the information because the area is a military zone off-limits to rights monitors and journalists.

“The Pakistani Army and the militants must not target civilians and must take whatever precautions they can to ensure that civilians are not harmed,” the rights group’s Asia director, Brad Adams, said in a release.

Rights monitors and journalists should be allowed in as soon as possible, the group said.

“Given the scant regard in the past of the militants and army for the welfare of civilians in fighting in the area, Human Rights Watch expressed concern about possible civilian deaths and injuries,” the group added.

Authorities yesterday relaxed the curfew in Miranshah to allow people to get food and supplies and several grocery stores in the main bazaar opened for business.

Waziristan is part of what are known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which cover about 27,220 square km of mountainous territory and are home to about six million people, most of them Pashtuns.

Few of Pakistan’s federal laws apply and outside interference is deeply resented. — Additional input from Reuters.