Pakistan briefly closes NATO supply route in north-west (Roundup)

Jan 19, 2009, 12:37 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan briefly closed a crucial route for supplies to US and NATO troops in Afghanistan on Monday to hunt Islamic militants who carried out a pre-dawn attack on a military camp in the troubled Khyber tribal region, an official said.

The 35-kilometre stretch of mountain road, popularly known as the Khyber Pass, was reopened after the government troops arrested 23 people suspected of firing at least eight rocket-propelled grenades on a Frontier Corps' camp in the Landi Kotal area early Monday.

One paramilitary soldier was killed and around a dozen more were wounded in the attack, an official in the local administration, Fazal Mahmood, said.

According to Mahmood, the overland route was reopened in the afternoon when the security forces completed their search-and-cordon operation, in which they also demolished four houses believed to be used by the militants.

The Khyber Pass serves as key route for haulers transporting food and military supplies for international troops fighting the Taliban in land-locked Afghanistan.

The security forces also launched a major offensive in Khyber late last year to clear the area of militants attacking the Kabul-bound cargo. Though scores of people were detained for allegedly ambushing and looting the supplies, the attacks on convoys and security checkpoints resumed within days.