PESHAWAR, Sept 3: About 25 army helicopters landed at the Bannu airport on Wednesday amid reports of intrusion into Pakistan’s tribal territory by Afghan troops.

The landing of helicopters also gave rise to speculations that a massive operation was to be launched against remnants of Al Qaeda in the region bordering Afghanistan.

Well-placed sources told Dawn that two days ago the Pakistani troops had come under fire from the Afghan forces at the border following which more troops were sent to the area.

It is learnt that the Afghan troops again violated the border on Wednesday and entered a few kilometres into the North Waziristan Agency.

“Panic gripped the town after the local people spotted the unusual movement of army helicopters and troops in the area,” a Bannu resident told Dawn by telephone.

Soon after the landing of helicopters at the airport, about four kilometres west of Bannu city, a large number of army trucks were seen heading towards the airport, while some helicopters moved towards the Afghan border.

Another resident said that there were rumours in the area that Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden had been picked up by the troops. Other reports suggest that a massive operation was being launched against some key Al Qaeda operatives hiding in the tribal areas.

A high-ranking district administration official, however, told Dawn that the Pakistan army was planning a military exercise in Bannu and its adjacent tribal belt. He confirmed that at least 24 helicopters had landed at the Bannu airport.

The official claimed that since it was for the first time that a major exercise was being held in the area, the people got panicked.

The airport is under the control of the Civil Aviation Authority and normally no flight operates from there. The landing of helicopters began at about 6pm and continued till night.

When contacted, the ISPR Director-General, Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, declined to comment, saying he was not aware of any emergency activities in the area.