WANA, May 2: Authorities in the rugged South Waziristan tribal region have announced that tribesmen sheltering foreign militants could furnish guarantees about their future good conduct to facilitate their registration with the government.

The administrator of the South Waziristan Agency, Mr Asmatullah Gandapur, in his maiden jirga with Ahmadzai-Wazir tribesmen at the regional headquarters urged them to encourage foreign militants hiding in the tribal region to avail themselves the amnesty offered by President Pervez Musharraf and get themselves registered by May 7.

He said that one tribal elder could furnish guarantees for five foreign militants. He, however, said that any tribal elder deciding to withdraw his guarantee would have to inform the authorities in advance.

Mr Gandapur, who replaced Muhammad Azam Khan in a dramatic decision only a day before the military authorities entered into a reconciliation with tribal militants, acknowledged that no progress had been made on registration of foreign militants.

He announced the release of 14 more detained tribals taking the overall figure of those released in the last few days to 155. The military had seized 163 men during the operation in Kaloosha in March. Eight tribesmen remain to be released.