Pak troops re-deployed in tribal area: reports
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, May 18, IRNA -- Pakistan has re-deployed troops in its tribal region near the Afghan border for possible action after foreign militants failed to accept an offer of amnesty. The local press said on Tuesday that the troops had been sent to South Waziristan after the latest in a series of deadlines for the amnesty passed last Saturday. In a major army operation in March, 120 people died, including 48 soldiers, until the government opted for negotiations. Under an agreement, local tribals harboring foreign elements laid down their arms and promised not to help them. The security chief for the tribal belt, Brigadier (Ret`d) Mahmood Shah, the press said, accused influential tribal leader Nek Mohammad on Monday of refusing to cooperate with the government on registration of the foreigners. President General Pervez Musharraf has said that remnants belonging to Al-Qaeda and Taliban hiding in the tribal areas had been involved in terrorist acts in Pakistan and had also masterminded and executed two attempts on his life in recent months. In a related development, according to press reports, Nek Mohammad on Monday dissociated himself from the ranks of foreign suspects and offered to back up military operations against them. The militant has reportedly said he was prepared to abide by the agreement with the government and cooperate with the tribe assigned the task of locating the foreign elements. The issue of registration of foreigners which the government insisted was part of the agreement and which Nek Mohammad said was not, had led to a standoff, sparking fears of another military operation in the region. On the other hand, a tribal lashkar had been formed to deal with the foreigners if they continued to shy away from registration. Nek has been quoted as saying that foreigners were no longer in the region. MHA/TSH/LS/210
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