Pakistan tribal offensive to curb cross-border attacks
Pakistani officials have said an “onslaught” by local tribesmen against foreign Al-Qaeda militants in which 56 people died could curb cross-border attacks by the rebels in Afghanistan. The clashes in the lawless South Waziristan region come as President Pervez Musharraf, a key US ally, faces international pressure to get tough on extremists who have regrouped in Pakistan’s tribal-run regions since 2001. Uzbeks, Chechens and some Arab militants have traded rocket and mortar fire for two days with pro-government tribal forces led by a former Taliban commander after a tense ceasefire broke down Thursday, officials said. The Pakistani government “is not intervening,” a top security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Full Story