PAKISTAN: DEATH TOLL RISES AS PAKISTANI FORCES STEP UP EFFORTS TO CRUSH SUSPECTED ISLAMIC MILITANTS IN TRIBAL REGIONS BORDERING AFGHANISTAN

Record ID: 858237

  • Title: PAKISTAN: DEATH TOLL RISES AS PAKISTANI FORCES STEP UP EFFORTS TO CRUSH SUSPECTED ISLAMIC MILITANTS IN TRIBAL REGIONS BORDERING AFGHANISTAN
  • Date: 16th March 2004
  • Summary: (W3) WANA, TRIBAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN (MARCH 17, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF PARAMILITARY TROOPS PATROLLING ROAD (3 SHOTS) 0.14 2. WIDE OF PARAMILITARY TROOPS WALKING THROUGH VILLAGE 0.20 3. ARMOURED CAR RACING THROUGH VILLAGE 0.27 4. SCU: DECAYING BODY LAYING ON GROUND 0.31 5. CHARRED MILITARY VEHICLES (2 SHOTS) 0.46 6. CU: UNUSED MORTAR LYING ON THE ROADSIDE 0.48 7. VARIOUS: MORE OF BURNT VEHICLES (3 SHOTS) 0.58 (W3) WANA, TRIBAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN (MARCH 16, 2004) (REUTERS) 7. PARAMILITARY TROOPS GETTING READY FOR ATTACK 1.05 8. TROOPS INSIDE MILITARY VEHICLE 1.12 9. TWO PARAMILITARY SCOUTS STANDING 1.15 10. WIDE OF AREA WITH PARAMILITARY TROOPS ON GUARD 1.24 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WANA, TRIBAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN
  • City:
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics:
  • Reuters ID: LVACCXRSYG248YLB89ISRR2V1APC
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Death toll rises as Pakistan steps up efforts to
    crush suspected Islamic militants in the tribal regions
    bordering Afghanistan.


    Blackened wrecks of military vehicles littered dirt
    roads in the tribal areas of Pakistan's border with
    Afghanistan. Some were still burning on Wednesday (March
    17) after fresh clashes between Pakistani forces and
    suspected al Qaeda militants being sheltered by local
    tribesmen.

    Sixteen soldiers and 24 rebels were killed in fierce
    fighting on Tuesday (March 16) involving assault rifles,
    machine guns, light artillery and rockets, in the latest
    operation in Pakistan's lawless tribal belt to flush out
    suspected militants.

    Twenty-two troops were wounded and 18 Pakistanis were
    arrested and detained for questioning at the scene of the
    clashes.

    At least 24 militants and tribesmen were also killed in
    other heavy clashes involving artillery and rockets.

    Hundreds of people, including many women and children,
    have fled the area fearful of fresh violence.

    U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who visited
    Islamabad on Thursday, has praised Pakistan for "picking up
    the pace" in its latest crackdown on suspected al Qaeda
    fighters.

    Up to 600 foreign militants are believed to be hiding
    in the wild tribal belt near the Afghan border, where they
    are sheltered by tribesmen.

    The operation coincides with a new offensive by 13,500
    U.S.-led troops in neighbouring Afghanistan to track down
    militants on the Afghan side of the frontier, including the
    world's most wanted man Osama bin Laden, blamed for
    masterminding the September 11, 2001, attacks on New
    York and Washington.

    Bin Laden, his al Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, Taliban
    supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and notorious
    renegade warlord Gulbuddin Mekmatyar are all believed to
    be in the border area, possible slipping across the frontier
    to evade capture.


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