 |
| Pakistani
paramilitary troops check vehicles in Pakistan's tribal area,
South Waziristan, searching for Al-Qaeda fugitives.
|
By
Asif Farooqi, IOL South Asia correspondent
ISLAMABAD,
July 3 (IslamOnline) - In yet another deadly encounter between
Pakistani law enforcing agencies and suspected Al-Qaeda members in
weeks, two Pakistani troops and four terror suspects were confirmed
dead near the Pakistani town of Kohat in the North Western Frontier
Province here Wednesday, July 3.
The
shootout occurred at a paramilitary checkpost when the terror suspects
were signaled to stop on their way out of the tribal area of Pakistan
where a large number of Al-Qaeda suspects are believed to be hiding.
The Pakistani paramilitary troops guarding the exit point of the South
Wazirsitan agency of the tribal area tried to block a suspected
vehicle, but instead received heavy firing.
The
exchange of heavy fire which continued for almost fifteen minutes on
the main highway connecting the tribal areas with the regular
Pakistani territory, left six people dead, an interior ministry
official said. The Paramilitary troops are controlled by the interior
ministry.
The
official said the dead were identified as the Uzbek members of the
Al-Qaeda outfit trying to flee the area. The officials believe that
those suspects may have been involved in the Wana incident in which 10
Pakistani army troops were killed in an encounter with a group of
suspected terrorists on July 26. The government believes that 40
members of the same group were on the run.
The
central government is tightening noose around these terror suspects as
more troops are being brought into the area and the exit points are
being strictly monitored.
Pakistani
officials are negotiating with the tribal areas to cooperate with the
agencies in hunting down Al-Qaeda suspects who enjoy sympathies in the
Pakistani tribal areas bordering with Afghanistan. Regular Pakistani
laws are not applicable on these tribal areas.
