PAF fighter jets start patrolling tribal region

[Naveed Yaseen]

BANNU (updated on: September 13, 2008, 21:03 PST): Fighter aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Saturday conducted flights in the tribal region for the first time where US missiles attacks have killed dozens of people in recent days, witnesses in the region said.

At least 12 people were killed in North Waziristan tribal region in a suspected US missile attack on Friday, the second strike in three days in the same region.

US drones frequently fire missiles in the tribal region to hit suspected militants but civilians are also killed in such attacks, according to locals.

Reports say that President Bush recently authorised US raids against militants in Pakistan without prior approval from Islamabad.

There is growing concern in Pakistan over unilateral US military action and the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has condemned the strikes but said Pakistan will pursue diplomatic path to convince the US to stop attacks in Pakistani areas.

Pakistan Air Chief Air Marshal Tanvir Mehmood has said that the air force can respond to violation of air space by the US forces if the government issues orders.

The army spokesman Major General Athar Abass said on Thursday that the army has been issued orders to react in case of violation by Afghanistan-based U.S forces.

A tribal elder in Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan, said on phone that he saw Pakistani fighter planes hovering over North Waziristan. "The people are very happy over action by Pakistani aircraft in view of the frequent air violations by US spy planes," the tribesman said. "I saw the fighter plane also flying towards the Afghan border area," the tribal elder said, requesting not to be identified.

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