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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Fighting in Shakai continues |
| 2004-06-11 |
| Thousands of Pakistani troops backed by gunship helicopters have attacked hideouts of Al Qaeda-linked foreign militants in a tribal region near the Afghan border. Security officials say the aircraft pounded hideouts in the Shakai area near South Waziristan tribal district capital Wana, where clashes left 35 militants and 15 troops dead on Wednesday. "Army helicopters have pounded the hideouts of foreign militants after which troops landed from helicopters and launched ground operations to capture militants," a senior security official said. No details of casualties from the aerial bombardment and intense artillery barrages are immediately available. It is not clear whether the assaulting troops faced any resistance. The military says its offer of amnesty and trust, made in the April 24 Shakai agreement, has been abused by "foreign elements" who fired on army positions Wednesday, triggering three days of clashes. "Following the provocation and terrorist activities of foreign elements in violation of the Shakai agreement, Pakistan security forces are appropriately responding against the unknown and confirmed hideouts of miscreants," the statement said. Some 300 to 400 mainly Chechen and Uzbek Al Qaeda-linked fighters are believed to be hiding in the region. Some Arabs and Chinese Uighurs are said to be among them. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |