Fierce clashes near Afghan border

BBC
Friday, August 8, 2008

Fierce fighting is going on between Pakistani troops and pro-Taleban militants near the Afghan border.

About 200 troops went into the town of Loi Sam in the Bajaur tribal area on Thursday after clashes with insurgents.

Seven soldiers and 30 rebels have been killed, the army says. It denies troops have been surrounded or taken hostage.

The militants say only four of their fighters have been killed while 60 soldiers have died. Neither claim has been independently verified.

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Talks between Pakistan’s new government and Taleban leaders broke down in June.

Security has deteriorated sharply in recent weeks along the frontier, which the Afghan government and Nato say is a haven for al-Qaeda and Taleban militants.

Heavy fighting

Witnesses say bodies of soldiers and militants are lying on the streets of Loi Sam. Neither side has been able to recover them due to the heavy fighting going on.

Helicopter gunships and artillery pieces positioned in a paramilitary camp in Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur, are continuing to pound militant positions around Loi Sam.

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