Pakistan uses gunships to mow down al-Qaeda men

Calcutta News.Net
Wednesday 8th October, 2008

At least 20 Al Qaeda-linked militants have been killed by Pakistani helicopter gunship fire.

The killings occurred in the Bajaur region, near the Afghanistan border, where Pakistani troops had already targeted rebel hideouts in August.

The militants were fired upon after being observed moving around the village of Badan, which also housed Taliban leader Maulvi Faqir Mohammad.

Maulvi has been accused of masterminding the slaying of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

The latest offensive in Bajaur is a continuation of the earlier battles in August, which saw the death of al Qaeda's operational commander in the region, Egyptian, Abu Saeed Al-Masri.

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