19oct03

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6 US commandos feared dead.

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Wana: At least six US commandos were thought dead and scores of Afghan troops injured when unidentified attackers ambushed a US convey at Sorkamar in Afghanistan's Paktika province.

In retaliation, US troops cordoned off the area to hunt the assailants who were believed to be Taliban remnants. According to an eyewitness, US choppers entered Pakistan's airspace in pursuit of the militants and two shells also hit the tribal areas of North West Frontier Province.

Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major Gen Shaukat Sultan denied that any troops, planes or helicopters entered Pakistani territory. "No violation of Pakistani airspace took place, and no shell or rocket hit any part of the country."

Major General Sultan said Pakistani troops and paramilitary forces were operating inside the country's territory against militants but denied any joint operation with the US-led coalition against them in any part of the tribal areas. "They are doing their job inside Afghanistan and we are doing ours in our territory," he said.

Meanwhile, suspected Taliban rebels raided and set ablaze a police station in southeastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan, but there were no injuries, a provincial police commander said on Sunday. More than 15 heavily armed attackers riding motorcycles raided a compound housing the station and district offices in Jani Khel in Paktika province early Saturday. Police briefly traded gunfire but were forced to retreat after running out of ammunition, provincial police chief Doulat Khan said. --NNI/AP

[Source: Daily Times. Pakistan, 19oct03]

Este documento ha sido publicado el 21oct03 por el Equipo Nizkor y Derechos Human Rights