Pakistan says arrests 10 militants in tribal belt

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – The Pakistani military arrested 10
suspected terrorists and found a large quantity of weapons in
raids in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan where al Qaeda
militants have been active, a statement said on Monday.

Seven suspects were arrested in the Mera Din area of the
Shawal Valley and three in other parts of North Waziristan
close to the Afghan border, a military statement said.

The weapons cache was found in a deserted compound, which
appeared to be a religious school. It included grenades and
machineguns, commando uniforms, as well as women’s clothes and
wigs, the statement said.

It said the raids took place in the past 24 hours.

The identity of those arrested could not immediately be
established, the statement said, adding that they had been
handed over to intelligence agencies for interrogation.

A large number of al Qaeda-linked militants fled to the
tribal region bordering Afghanistan after U.S.-led forces
overthrew the Taliban in 2001. Pakistan says it is determined
to clear them out.