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Night curfew in Pak tribal areas

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, July 31, IRNA -- A night curfew has been imposed in vast 
areas of the South Waziristan Agency in Pakistan`s tribal areas close 
to the Afghan border over the last three days. 
The News reported in its Saturday issue that firing was 
continuing between security forces and militants in Mantoi and Shakai 
areas of the tribal belt. 
The daily said that the militants fired rocket-propelled grenades 
on positions of the security forces, which retaliated Friday with 
army fire at intervals of more than an hour. 
However, it said there were no reports of casualties and damage 
on either side. 
Pakistan Army helicopters hovered over the area Friday morning, 
but no action was taken against the suspected hideouts of the 
militants. 
The government, after failing to get a negotiated settlement to 
the militants` crisis, launched operation in the tribal areas to fight
foreign elements and their local supporters. 
It is believed that hundreds of them came to Pakistan after the 
fall of the ruling Taliban militia in Afghanistan and settled down in 
those areas. 
Aside from remnants of the Taliban, militants who had 
participated in the war against the former USSR in Afghanistan have 
also settled down in Pakistan. 
President General Pervez Musharraf has held these militants 
responsible for two attempts on his life last December. 
MHA/TSH/2321/1432