WASHINGTON, June 2 A US general chosen to lead American and international forces in Afghanistan told a congressional hearing on Tuesday that effective military operations were key to disrupting and dismantling the safe havens of Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan's restive tribal areas.

At his confirmation hearing, Lt-Gen Stanley McChrystal told the Senate Armed Services Committee he did not believe the prospects for both cleaving Al Qaeda from the Taliban and for reincorporating the Taliban into the Afghan government were very bright.

President Barack Obama's nominee to head the US-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, also emphasised the need to reduce civilian casualties, warning that any victory would be “hollow and unsustainable” if allied operations created popular resentment by killing civilians.

The general defended strikes by unmanned drones and Special Operations ground units but pledged to make sure that these attacks would be ordered only based on solid intelligence, and would be as “precise” as possible.

“Effective military operations in the Pakistani tribal areas are a key to disrupt and eventually deny safe havens to Al Qaeda and the Taliban from which they launch these incursions,” said Lt-Gen McChrystal.

He conceded that preventing all incursions was difficult due to the length and porous nature of the border, but said that greater cooperation among Afghan, Pakistani and international forces could improve border security.