Pakistani army secures militant stronghold

By Hafiz Wazir

WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Pakistan army moved into a known stronghold of foreign al Qaeda militants near the Afghan border after a tribal militia battled the Islamist militants this week, residents and officials said on Saturday.

Ethnic Pashtun tribesmen in the South Waziristan region vowed last month to expel the foreign jihadists, most of them Uzbeks, from their lands. More than 200 foreigners and up to 50 tribal fighters have been killed in clashes since then, government officials say.

Pakistani troops were deployed on Friday evening in mountainous Shin Warsak, about 10 km (6 miles) west of South Waziristan's main town of Wana.

The bodies of many Uzbeks littered the ground in the area and tribesmen used tractors to bury them.

Sporadic firing could be heard in the area, but most of the foreigners appeared to have fled.

The army moved into bunkers the foreign jihadists built in the mountains.

It was the first movement of Pakistani troops outside Wana in the tribal region since the government struck a peace deal with tribal elders in February 2005.

"DUMB ONES"