PESHAWAR, Jan 15: The Tribal Lashkar in the south Waziristan tribal region on Thursday captured 10 more tribesmen wanted for harbouring and facilitating Al-Qaeda terrorists, officials said.

The 10 were on the list of 41 tribesmen wanted by authorities. They would face interrogation by intelligence agencies to prove their innocence, the official said.

With their capture, the tally of those rounded up by the Tribal Lashkar since Tuesday has gone up to 15. "This is no small achievement. I think we are making good progress here. We are monitoring the situation and are confident that with the help of local tribes and the Tribal Lashkar we will be able to get rid of foreign elements here once and for all," administrator of South Waziristan tribal region Muhammad Azam Khan told Dawn by telephone from the regional headquarters, Wana.

Four of the 10 tribesmen captured are from Khojalkhel while three each have been seized from the Yargulkhel and Zalikhel tribes. Among them, officials in Peshawar and Wana said the biggest catch was that of Mufti Siraj Muhammad, fourth on the list of chief suspects sheltering and helping Al Qaeda terrorists.

Fata Secretary (Security) Brig Mahmood Shah said that Mufti Siraj was one of the main suspects besides Haji Sharif, Naik Muhammad and Maulavi Abbas. The Tribal Lashkar made those arrests from Kalusha, Azam Warsak and Angor Adda areas, the official said.

He said all those captured would be questioned by a Joint Interrogation Team (JIT) comprising civil and military intelligence agencies. "Those found innocent would be released and those found guilty would be dealt with in accordance with the law," Azam Khan said.

The tribes had agreed to demolish the houses of those found guilty of sheltering and helping foreign elements, he said.