ISLAMABAD, 22 May 2005 — A senior army official said around 80 foreign militants were still hiding in South Waziristan, but were no longer able to execute terrorist attacks. He added the foreigners were scattered and on the run.
“With the deployment of more than 70,000 troops and establishment of 669 posts along the border with Afghanistan, it is now quite impossible for the terrorists to launch cross-border attacks,” Corps. Commander Peshawar, Lt. Gen. Safdar Hussain said yesterday.
Safdar vowed to flush out these foreign militants who he says are hiding in small groups in a remote tribal region near the Afghan border.
Safdar, who commands thousands of troops hunting Al-Qaeda-linked militants in the region made his remarks Friday during a visit to South Waziristan, where he met with tribal elders and sought their help in finding the militants.
He said some of the fugitives were Uzbeks, but did not mention if any might be Al-Qaida leaders.
“We know about 80 foreign militants are hiding in South Waziristan. They are in small groups, and we will ultimately catch them because they are enemy of peace, and they have spoiled the image of Islam,” he said.
Safdar’s visit to South Waziristan came a day after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri said Osama Bin Laden is alive and on the run with a small band of fighters.
Last year, Pakistani troops killed and captured scores of Al-Qaeda linked militants in the region.
