Pakistan forces raid rebels in tribal region, 30 die

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistani helicopter gunships and
ground forces attacked a militant camp in North Waziristan on
Wednesday killing around 30 people, according to a political
agent for the tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

“It was a training camp of foreign miscreants,” Sayed
Zaheerul Islam, the political agent, told Reuters. Islam said
the attack occurred at Saidgai, about 15 km (10 miles) north of
Miranshah, the main town in the region.

The attack came shortly after 7 a.m. (0200 GMT), days
before U.S. President George W. Bush is due to arrive in
Pakistan in a trip that will also take him to India.

An ammunition dump at the base, which officials said was
near the border with Pakistan, was also hit and explosions
could be heard in Miranshah.

Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan
confirmed that a raid had taken place on a militant base in
Waziristan, but he didn’t have any information on casualties.

Shaukat, speaking on Geo television channel, said there
were reports that there were local and foreign fighters in the
camp.