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Pakistani forces pound militants` positions in tribal areas

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 20, IRNA -- The Pakistani military intensified its 
operation in the country`s tribal region on Wednesday to capture a 
militant leader whose men had kidnapped two Chinese engineers last 
week, local correspondents and reports said. 
The army is using helicopters and artillery to pound suspected 
positions of the militants in different locations in the semi- 
autonomous South Waziristan agency, they said. 
"The militants are showing stiff resistance and there are 
casualties on both sides," Geo television reported. 
The military launched an operation last night in Spinkey-Gharzay 
areas to capture Abdullah Mesud, a militant leader who claimed 
responsibility for the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers. 
The security chief of the tribal region, Mehmood Shah, said on 
Monday that his forces had pinpointed Abdullah Mehsud`s location, 
adding that Mesud was rapidly shifting positions. 
On Tuesday, an ambush on a military convoy in Spinkey-Gharzay 
left five soldiers and a number of attackers dead, according to 
reports on Wednesday. 
The convoy of five vehicles was attacked by masked men with 
grenades and rockets believed to be linked with Al-Qaeda. Hundreds of 
Al-Qaeda militants, including Chechens, Uzbeks and Arabs, are 
believed to be hiding in the area. 
Following the ambush, Pakistani soldiers started shelling 
suspected militant hideouts overnight with the bombing still 
continuing on Wednesday. 
Local correspondents said that two women were also killed when 
their vehicle came under fire on Wednesday. 
The Pakistan army said on Tuesday that 171 soldiers and 
paramilitary troops were also killed during the operation against 
Al-Qaeda suspects and their supporters in the country`s tribal region.
At least 100 foreigners were among 246 militants also killed in 
the operation in South Waziristan, launched in October last year, 
Corps Commander Lt Gen Safdar Hussain told reporters in Peshawar. 
Hussain said some 100 foreigners are still hiding in South 
Waziristan and that a majority of them are hiding in the area held by 
the Mehsud tribe, one of the major tribes in Waziristan. 
TK-AHM/TSH/2321/1432