10 November 2004	Wednesday	26 Ramazan 1425

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WANA, Nov 9: At least two soldiers and six militants were killed on Tuesday as the security forces launched a fresh ground offensive and air raids against militants' positions in different places in the Mehsud tribe's territory in South Waziristan tribal region, officials said.

Military's spokesman Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan put the number of security personnel and militants killed in the day-long fighting at two and six, respectively.

However, militants claimed that the losses suffered by security forces were much higher than the figure of casualties put forth by the military authorities.

Independent sources said that the pre-dawn assault had left at least 10 militants dead, while three soldiers had been killed and nine others wounded.

A militant commander, who was contacted via satellite phone, in the battle zone told Dawn that two of his comrades had been killed.

He claimed that security forces suffered more casualties than the Mujahideen in the renewed fighting on Tuesday.

Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan told Dawn that security forces had retrieved six bodies of militants and the offensive was still underway in the area.

Local residents said that security forces launched attacks against foreign militants and their tribal supporters in several parts of the region in their pursuit to hunt down local militant commander Abdullah Mehsud and his armed supporters.

They said that the army troops started massive artillery and mortar gun shelling from Laddha, Jandola and Tiarza forts at about 5am and pounded specific targets.

Several hundreds long-range artillery shells were fired on the militants' positions in Zmaray, Chotkhel, Khadkhel, Darwazai Zor, Karwan Manza and Asman Manza. A large number of Mehsud tribesmen live in these parts.

After the artillery shelling, which lasted for more than three hours, Cobra helicopters started intense rocket firing on militants' targets.

"It was the fiercest shelling by the ground forces and Cobra helicopters," a resident said. Cobra helicopters fired rockets on the militants' positions to flush them out from their positions, he said.

Witnesses said that eight Cobra helicopters were on standby on Wana helipad. Paramilitary forces are said to have blocked main routes in the Waziristan region.

According to the official estimates about 150 foreign militants, mostly belonging to Central Asian states, were holding up in areas along the Afghan border.

About 10 soldiers were killed and a number of others wounded in the self-improvised landmines explosions and attacks by the militants on the military conveys during the past week.

In a related development, a tribal mediator held talks with a self-proclaimed militant commander Haji Mohammed Omar and five wanted militants at an undisclosed location on Monday night.

Col (retd) Inammulah Khan, who is mediating between the government and militants, expressed satisfaction over talks with the militants.

"I expect a breakthrough within the next two days," Col Inamullah said. He told Dawn by phone that five most wanted militants Maulana Abdul Aziz, Mohammad Sharif, Noor Islam, Maulvi Abbas and Mohammad Javed were also present during the meeting with Haji Omar.