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Pakistan tribesmen, soldiers step up militants` hunt

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 23, IRNA - Pakistani tribesmen and soldiers on Saturday
jointly launched house-to-house search in South Waziristan tribal 
region to capture leader of al Qaeda-linked militant leader Abdullah 
Mehsud, who is wanted for kidnapping two Chinese engineers this month,
one of whom was killed. 
Reports and local correspondents said that some 80 armed 
tribesmen, regular troops and paramilitary militia started search in 
shops of Spinkay Raghzay town, thought to be the center of the 
activities of Abdullah and his supporters. 
Military chief in Northwest Frontier Province Lt Gen. Safdar 
Hussain is in the area to supervise the first joint operation of 
house-to-house search, Geo television reported. 
Correspondents said that Spinkay Raghzay had been cordoned off and
the soldiers have taken positions. 
According to Geo, two bodies of locals have been recovered from a 
house, but it was not clear if they are the men of Abdullah Mehsud. 
The government wants the foreigners hiding in the area to 
surrender or register themselves with the local authorities. 
Correspondents said markets in Spinkay Raghzay have been closed 
for few days due to clashes between the soldiers and militants and 
dozens of families have escaped the army operation. 
The operation followed an ambush on a military convoy on Tuesday 
that left five soldiers and a number of attackers dead. 
The convoy of a dozen vehicles was said to have been attacked by 
masked men with grenades and rockets. 
Pakistan recently used helicopters and artillery to pound 
suspected hideouts of Abdullah Mehsud, who had claimed responsibility 
of the kidnapping of Chinese engineers. 
Five kidnappers were killed when Pakistani commandos raided a 
house where Chinese engineers were held hostage. 
Officials say hundreds of Central Asian, Afghan and Arab militants
suspected of having links with al-Qaeda are in South Waziristan, where
Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, are also believed to
be hiding. 
Security chief of tribal region Mehmood Shah said last week the 
security forces have identified location of Abdullah Mehsud and that 
he would be captured soon. 
Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in war against al-Qaeda 
and Taliban, has arrested more than 600 al-Qaeda suspects, including 
several senior figures, but they were caught in major cities and 
urban areas. 
TK/TSH/1423