WANA, 14 June 2004 — Pakistani forces battled Al-Qaeda-linked militants yesterday in a remote tribal region bordering Afghanistan, with the military saying more than 70 combatants had been killed in five days of fighting.
At least 55 militants were killed in South Waziristan, a mountain region 400 kilometers southwest of Islamabad, and security forces lost 17 men, Pakistan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said.
At least three civilians were also killed, army sources said. “Most militants killed were foreigners,” Sultan said. “The operation against them in that area is now almost over.”
In a separate incident overnight, security forces killed at least eight suspected militants who tried to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan, an army official said. The men were among a group of suspected militants riding in three vehicles who tried to enter the Angoradda area in South Waziristan, he told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.
“When they were challenged, they opened fire. Our soldiers responded, destroying their two vehicles and killing at least eight of them,” he said. Their bodies are on the Afghan side of the border, he said, adding Pakistani troops did not suffer any casualties.
Pakistan says up to 600 foreign militants, including Arabs, Chechens and Uzbeks linked to Al-Qaeda network, have been hiding out in the semi-autonomous tribal areas, protected by the tribesmen. The army has sealed borders with Afghanistan in a bid to stop them fleeing or getting reinforcements, officials said.
Overnight, artillery fire boomed in the Shakai area of South Waziristan, where Pakistani forces were trying to flush out foreign militants and their local supporters, witnesses said.
“Our houses shook because of the artillery fire all night,” said one resident in Wana, the main town of South Waziristan. Militants fired rockets at two remote Pakistani posts near the Afghan border on Saturday night, but there was no report of casualties, residents said. The posts are some distance away from the battle zone.
Pakistani forces sent jets to bomb militant hide-outs on Friday for the first time — raising the stakes in the war against Al-Qaeda in the country. No air strikes were carried out yesterday, residents said.
Top Al-Qaeda leaders are believed to be hiding out in the tribal region. The army has said it launched the latest offensive in the tribal regions after attempts to negotiate an amnesty with tribesmen protecting foreign militants failed.
“We want them to surrender or they will be wiped out,” said a security official speaking on condition of anonymity.
