April 25, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 18, 1429

KHAR, April, 24: The Afghan National Army has not vacated the four Pakistani border observatory posts that it occupied in the Bajaur tribal region on Wednesday.

Sources said that Afghan troops who had captured the posts after clashes with the Frontier Corps at Nawa Pass were still there on Thursday.

Local people reported seeing Nato helicopter gunships hovering over areas along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Meanwhile, social and political circles in Bajaur Agency have strongly condemned the Nato and ANA incursion into Pakistan’s side of the border and the shelling of outposts.

Describing the action as “provocative and naked aggression”, they said it was aimed at vitiating the atmosphere at a time when peace talks were being held between the Pakistani authorities and the local Taliban.