South Asia News
Pakistani troops kill 20 militants in restive tribal region
Oct 8, 2008, 16:30 GMT
Islamabad - Pakistan army said on Wednesday it had killed at least 20 Taliban militants in lawless tribal region along Afghan border.
Helicopter gunships and artillery pounded several positions of rebels in Bajaur district, where the military and paramilitary troops are carrying out a major offensive against al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters since early August.
'Eight among the killed were foreigners,' army's spokesman Major Murad Khan told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
The term 'foreigner' is mostly used to refer to al-Qaeda linked militants of Arab and Central Asian origin.
Fierce clashes over the last two months have killed at least 1,000 rebels and more than two dozen troops, besides causing unknown number of civilian casualties.
More than 250,000 people have fled the fighting to safe places inside Pakistan and over 20,000 to Afghan province of Kunar.
Pakistan's tribal areas are believed to have safe havens of Taliban and fighters from al-Qaeda terrorist network. They launch cross borer areas on US-led forces in Afghanistan.
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