ISLAMABAD, April 20: Top US military commander in Afghanistan has credited Pakistan for successfully disrupting the Al Qaeda network in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan , saying it had significantly affected its ability to support a suspected Taliban insurgency across the border in Afghanistan.

The Commander of the US-led forces in Afghanistan, Lt-Gen David Barno, made these remarks in an interview in Kabul that appeared in New York Times (NYT) on Tuesday. Notably these remarks from the US Commander came just a day after a statement by the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mr Zalmay Khalilzad, that "Pakistan should do more" on this front.

The statement had evoked a hard-hitting response from Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman who insisted on Monday that "Pakistan is doing more than enough" and announced: "We will lodge a protest with the US government on the foolish and irresponsible utterances by the US Ambassador in Kabul."

Gen Barno told the NYT that the Pakistani operation since January had been larger and more intense than the past. "There have been some tough fights, so I give them great credit for making some bold moves over there," the US General was quoted as saying.

However, Gen Barno thought reports that a senior Qaeda leader had been surrounded in fighting in South Waziristan in March were inaccurate, reports NYT, adding that the General claimed there was no sign that any Al Qaeda members had escaped into Afghanistan.

"Our sense is that anyone who is there, is still there," Gen Barno told NYT. He said there was every sign that the Al Qaeda fighters would stay in Pakistani tribal areas and fight, partly because they knew it was "extraordinarily dangerous" for them to operate in Afghanistan because of the presence of American troops, reports NYT.

"He (General Barno) described the Al Qaeda fighters as trained and experienced men who had deep roots in Pakistan," says the report. According to the NYT report Gen Barno maintained that Pakistan had shown more determination for the fight after suffering casualties in the Wana operation in March. "They are pushing forward and they are looking to finish this fight in the tribal area," he was quoted as saying.

When NYT asked him if Pakistan was genuine in this, he said: "I think absolutely, yes." Gen Barno's rather belated acknowledgement of the "bold moves" made by the Pakistani military against foreign fighters in the tribal area appear to be part of a damage-control exercise by the US to appease its most important ally in the anti-Al Qaeda campaign.

It is the second time in the past week that Islamabad and US have exchanged terse messages. First it was on the trial of the PML(N) leader Mr Javed Hashmi's and now on the Afghanistan issue.