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10 Terrorists Killed in Shakai

PESHAWAR: The security forces using artillery and helicopters attacked hide-outs of suspected foreign militants in Shakai, killing at least 10.

A latest report from the tribal belt of Pakistan says that troops inflicted unspecified casualties on the militants.

Militants have been "flushed out" from the area. "Flushed out means that they have either been killed or pushed out," said a spokesman, declining to say how many fighters had been killed or wounded. "They have lost the heights which they have been occupying and now security forces occupy them."

A suspected foreign fighter carrying rockets and a rocket launcher has also been captured in Tuesday’s operation.

'Pakistan Times' understands that heavy fighting and bombing by fighter jets was reported in Santoi and Mantoi areas of the South Waziristan Agency on Tuesday amid reports that the security forces were narrowing the circle around militants resisting the advancement of army and paramilitary troops.

"Heavy bombing is going on in Santoi and Mantoi valleys and reports reaching Wana suggest that noose around the militants has been tightened," said a local journalist based at Wana.

However, no details about casualties and damage to property were immediately available. But locals said that both sides seem to have suffered heavy losses. No official confirmation of the claims was available till going of this story on the Web.

"About 80 to 90 fighters are believed to have been trapped in the area and the intensity of fighting shows that the situation is grim," said a local source.

The security forces have taken control of almost all the high peaks in the area and the advancement towards Dand area, where heavy fighting is reported between the warring sides, was under consideration.

Witnesses said the security forces pounded the surrounding hilltops and Dand area with heavy guns from the Ziaray Noor Army Colony and Tiarza aimed at dislodging the entrenched militants.

Arafat calls on Palestinian cabinet to end Turmoil

RAMALLAH (West Bank): Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an attempt to defuse an unprecedented challenge to his authority was holding more talks with his premier Ahmed Qorei in a bid to persuade him to retract his resignation.

After street protests in Gaza forced Arafat to execute an embarrassing u-turn over his choice of security supremo, the Palestinian leader faced a battle of wills with his prime minister who submitted his resignation on Saturday after a spate of kidnappings.

Qorei refused to comment about his position to reporters outside his offices in the West Bank town of Abu Dis early Tuesday.

But after a cabinet session on Monday, he had confirmed that he regarded his resignation as still "effective" even though Arafat has refused to accept it.

Saturday's protests erupted in Gaza after Arafat appointed his unpopular cousin Musa as head of the Palestinian general security service as part of a revamp which saw the number of security services axed from eight to three.

He subsequently demoted Musa on Monday by naming Abdel Razzeq al-Majeida as overall security supremo with his cousin's responsibility limited to Gaza.

Qorei said after Monday's cabinet meeting that a ministerial committee had been established to tackle the crisis in Gaza and would soon head to the territory to meet officials and factions there.

While calm has returned to the streets of Gaza, the political and security crises have presented Arafat with his biggest challenge since he returned from exile to the territories some 10 years ago.

One leading Palestinian MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Arafat was now on the brink.

"He has reached the edge of the precipice and it is a long way down," the deputy said.

A new opinion poll published by An Najah university, based in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, found that 60 percent of Palestinians believed that Qorei is incapable of performing fully as a prime minister.

The same survey also found that only 23.9 percent believe the Palestinian Authority "is capable of exiting the current political crisis" while just 28 percent said that they are satisfied with the performance of the Palestinian government.

The international community has voiced its concern about the unfolding crisis among the Palestinians and the issue dominated talks Tuesday between EU foreign policy supremo Javier Solana and Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher in Amman.

"The need for calm to be restored in the Palestinian territories as well as the situation in Iraq was the focus of the discussions," a Jordanian official said.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan also urged Arafat to bring matters under control quickly.

"It is a serious crisis with the prime minister at the centre of it," Annan said. "Chairman Arafat should really take the time to listen to the prime minister and other members of his leadership, and take the necessary steps to bring the situation under control."

The United Nations, meanwhile, was expected to vote later in the day on a resolution calling on Israel to heed a world court ruling to tear down part of its controversial West Bank separation barrier.

Arab nations asked to delay the vote Monday in hopes of getting the European Union, which was haggling about language in the largely symbolic measure, to back the resolution in the 191-member UN General Assembly.

Capping days of negotiations, the European Union reached a consensus and presented suggested changes to the Arab bloc, which was to study the proposals overnight, diplomats said.

General Assembly resolutions are nonbinding but the Palestinians have said the measure would add to international pressure on Israel over the 700 kilometer (435 mile) barrier.

Israel, which says the barrier is vital to prevent suicide bombings, has already vowed to ignore the International Court of Justice's verdict.

Israeli warplanes break sound barrier over Beirut

BEIRUT (Lebnan): Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier at low altitude twice over Beirut on Tuesday.

The fighter-bombers caused supersonic booms at around 7:10 pm (1610 GMT), provoking panic on the streets of the capital.

Lebanese army anti-aircraft batteries opened fire toward the jets to the south of the capital.

Two Israelis, Hezbollah fighter killed in cross-border fighting

And a report from Aita Shaab says that two Israeli soldiers and a Hezbollah militiaman were killed on Tuesday as air raids and gun battles raged across the volatile Israel-Lebanon border.

The deadly violence erupted a day after a military commander of the radical Shiite Muslim Hezbollah movement was blown up in a Beirut car bomb attack blamed on the Jewish state.

Lebanon said it was considering a protest to the United Nations over what it called "aggressions" by archfoe Israel on its soil, while Hezbollah warned it would avenge the killing of a second militant in two days.

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed to "cut the hand" of Israel on Monday after blaming it for the bombing which killed Ghaleb Awwali, a member of the movement's military wing.

Cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters have continued since Israel's May 2000 troop pullout from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.

"There was a deliberate attack by Hezbollah snipers on a Tshahal (army) position in the western area of the border. Two soldiers have been killed," Israeli army Captain Jacob Dallal said.

"The army has responded to the shooting," he added. Israeli combat helicopters fired eight rockets during three raids on Hezbollah "monitoring posts" on the outskirts of the border villages of Aita Shaab and B, Hezbollah and police sources said.

Tank Opens Fire

An Israeli tank also opened fire on a Hezbollah post near Aita Shaab, killing one fighter, according to a statement by the movement's military arm known as the Islamic Resistance.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Obeid gave instructions to Lebanon's UN envoy to hold consultations "on the possibility of calling a special Security Council meeting to condemn the Israeli aggressions," his ministry said.

Assault in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, Israeli military sources said Hezbollah snipers fired at soldiers manning a post in northern Israel, prompting the Israelis to fire tank shells across the border into southern Lebanon.

The troops then destroyed a Hezbollah position in Lebanese territory, they said.

Lebanese police said Israeli helicopters combed the borders with machineguns under the cover of warplanes which prompted Hezbollah anti-aircraft fire that missed the aircraft.

The Israeli strikes resulted in a number of fires in border areas in southern Lebanon, police said.

The Islamic Resistance will choose the suitable time and place for a deterrent response that will make the enemy understand that any aggression against our people... will be very costly," it said.

Awwali was killed barely 24 hours earlier in an attack which Hezbollah blamed on the Jewish state despite an alleged claim of responsibility by an underground Lebanese Muslim group.

Miners Trapped as Blast Killed 31 in Ukraine

KIEV (Ukraine): Rescuers are trying to reach five miners believed trapped after a massive gas explosion at a Ukrainian mine killed 31.

Search teams are being held back by temperatures of 50C (120F) and fallen debris at the mine in the eastern part of the country. Water and nitrogen gas are being pumped into the mine in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

The accident happened when 48 miners were changing shifts. Twelve miners managed to escape unscathed, but 31 bodies were retrieved.

Officials were not commenting on the chance of finding the missing five alive. Officials are predicting it will take a day to put out the fire. "We will keep searching," Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Klyuyev said.

The accident, at the Krasnolimanska coal pit in the Donetsk region, occurred after a combination of methane and coal dust exploded at a coal face about 970 metres underground. An investigation into what sparked the blast is being carried out by officials.

It is the second mining accident at the mine in the past three years. In 2001 nine miners were killed. Mining accidents are frequent in the ex-Soviet state as its mines are expensive and dangerous to operate.

But politicians fear incurring even greater social costs if the pits are closed. They employ about 450,000 men at 193 mines in areas with few other jobs.

Imam-e-Kaba to visit Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Imam-e-Kaba Shaikh Muhammed bin Abdullah Al-Subayal will shortly visit Pakistan, during which he will lead Juma prayers at the historic Faisal Mosque, a reliable source told Pakistan Observer on Tuesday.

“The importance of the visit can’t be over-emphasised”, remarked the source, adding “Imam-e-Kaba, the Saudi Arab’s leading religious and scholarly figure, is held in the highest esteem by the people and Government of Pakistan”. The Imam-e-Kaba will also call on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Ch Shujaat Hussain.

The sources said, the visit has been made possible by the personal efforts exerted by Mr Mohammed Ijaz-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s newly appointed Minister for Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr, as part of his programme to project and promote the image of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in its true perspective.

“True to the dynamic style and spirit inherited from his father General Ziaul Haq, Mohammed Ijaz-ul-Haq wants the ministry to reflect the sentiments and aspirations of the world’s only state born in the name of Islam.

Imam-e-Kaba’s visit to Faisal Mosque will be covered live by the internal TV channels for the benefit of viewers within and outside the country. He will also visit other places of interest in Pakistan.●