Pakistani troops have launched an operation against suspected al-Qaeda fighters in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials say. Helicopter gunships and artillery have been used to bomb locations near Wana in South Waziristan to flush out suspected militants. The army says six militants and two soldiers have been killed. The offensive began as US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage held talks in Islamabad. A spokesman for the militants in Waziristan confirmed the death of two of their men in the fighting. The army opened an artillery barrage at first light on Tuesday targeting a mountainous area east of the town of Wana. Helicopter gunships supported the bombardment. The BBC's Haroon Rashid in Peshawar says that all roads leading to the area have been sealed. | Yeah, well, the Pak version of "sealed" is kind of like the Saudi version of "surrounded". |
A local resident said government forces appeared to be concentrating their attack in an area that is a stronghold of Abdullah Mehsud, a Pakistani militant whose men kidnapped two Chinese engineers last month.
In the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, Richard Armitage met President Pervez Musharraf and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri for talks on a wide range of issues, including the war against terrorism. Mr Armitage is the first senior US official to visit Pakistan since President Bush was re-elected and he promised continuity of US policies in the region. "We certainly want to continue our excellent cooperation with the military," Mr Armitage told Pakistani television, adding that economic ties needed to be strengthened. He also thanked Pakistan for helping with Afghanistan's presidential election on 9 October. Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar, who also met Mr Armitage, conveyed, Pakistan's desire to promote "a solid, broad-based and long-term relationship with the US encompassing cooperation in areas of investment, trade and defence," Pakistan's foreign ministry said. Mr Armitage is being accompanied by US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca. |