SOUTH WAZIRISTAN, Jan 3: Pakistani scouts exchanged fire with allied troops deployed across the Pakistan-Afghan border near the Angoor Adda in South Waziristan Agency on Friday, eyewitnesses said.

The firing started after a militia checkpost in the Pakistan territory came under rocket fire from across the border, they said, adding that it continued for about two hours.

No casualty was, however, reported.

The area people said helicopters and planes of the allied forces continued circling the area throughout the day, giving rise to fears that an air raid might follow.

Official sources said more contingents of scouts, militia and army present in the agency headquarters, Wana, had been dispatched to the Angoor Adda border area as the situation was very tense there.

The sources said higher authorities of the political administration and the South Waziristan scouts had rushed to the area to prevent any untoward situation.

They said the Afghan and allied troops had set up a checkpost near Angoor Adda, which prompted the exchange of fire. The army troops have closed all traffic from Wana to the border areas, they added.

The situation on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border has remained very tense despite efforts by the concerned quarters to resolve the trouble which had started after exchange of fire between the Pakistani scouts and allied troops over territorial violations in North Waziristan.

A Pakistani border scout had allegedly wounded a US soldier in an exchange of fire which was followed by an air raid by the allied planes reportedly on a madressah in the Pakistani territory last week.