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Al-Qaeda fighters in Waziristan now number 400
General Shaukat Sultan told reporters in Islamabad that it would be ``speculation'' to say the target is Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's top aide in the al-Qaeda terrorist network. The fighters, armed with machineguns, mortars and rocket- propelled grenades, are putting up intense resistance that has caused many casualties among the Pakistani troops, Sultan said without providing details of casualties. The Pakistanis have responded with strikes from Cobra helicopters, while so far holding off on the use of warplanes, he said. ``From the preparedness and the hardened fortresses that they have built, we assume the presence of a high-value target but we are not sure who it is,'' Sultan said. Pakistanis and foreigners are among the fighters being hunted in the operation, Sultan said. Two of those killed by the military today were identified as a Chechen and an Arab, he said without elaborating. Twenty-six fighters were killed on Tuesday. The Pakistani operation to hunt down the fighters ranges across an area of 50 square kilometers (20 square miles), taking in mountains and lowlands, Sultan said. The assault on their positions began Tuesday. ``The operation will continue until the mission is accomplished,'' he said. The militants are completely surrounded by the security forces and there is no chance of anyone escaping, Sultan said. No one has sighted Zawahiri in the region and, on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, ``your guess is as good or bad as mine,'' he said. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-03-19 |
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