US and Afghan forces repelled a major attack on a base on the Afghan-Pakistan border, leaving at least three suspected Taliban or al-Qaeda fighters dead, an Afghan military commander said today. Afghan Militia Force commander Zakim Khan said the militants had fled from the Pakistani tribal belt where the military has launched a major operation to hunt down al-Qaeda and Taliban fugitives, cornering up to 400 fighters. "This group had came from Pakistan and fled back to Pakistan after the fighting," he said. "Three al-Qaeda fighters were killed and we believe seven to eight of them were wounded."
| The dead guys are now cavorting with flat-chested 12-year-olds, of course. The maimed guys get to go through life with people calling them "Stumpy" and lugging around colostomy bags. I like that part. Good advertising against jihad as a way of life. |
The insurgents attacked the base with about 20 rockets and machine guns, Khan said, adding there were no coalition injuries. Khan commands a border regiment based in Lwara, in southeastern Paktika province across the border from South Waziristan, where thousands of Pakistani troops are hunting suspected al-Qaeda forces.
It was attacked last night by "an extremely large" number of Taliban and al-Qaeda militants who crossed from Pakistan and later fled back across the porous frontier, Khan said.
| "Spit! It's the fire! Back into the frying pan, guys!" |
"We replied with fire and the US helicopters responded during the fighting which started at 8pm local time and lasted until midnight." Yesterday, a Taliban source said 50 al-Qaeda operatives had fled across the border into Afghanistan is a result of the Pakistani operation. |