PESHAWAR, Dec 14: Harsh and cloudy weather may affect the surveillance operation in the high mountainous region as the mercury has dropped to minus 15 degree Celsius in Spin Ghar (the White Mountain), where army contingents have been deployed to prevent infiltration of al-Qaeda fighters from the complex of Tora Bora caves.

Met officials in Parachinar, Kurram Agency, told Dawn by telephone that the minimum temperature in the Chapari Rest House, situated at an altitude of about 9,650 feet on the White Hill, had been recorded at minus 15 degree Celsius on Friday.

While in Parachinar, the agency headquarter located at an altitude of about 6,000 feet, the maximum temperature was recorded at minus 5.3 degree Celsius.

Local Met office forecast that the high altitude areas would receive light snow.

Well-placed sources told Dawn that the government had rushed one division of the army to the White Hill to monitor the movement of infiltrators in the region.

The sources said 10 units of the army had already been deployed in a deep ravine and forest covered valleys of Spin Ghar, while contingents of the Kurram militia were patrolling the Para Chamkani closed to Tora Bora.

Two helicopters of the army aviation were supplying food to the troops on the hilltops, they added.