13 Killed as al-Qaeda Men Attack Pak Troops

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 20, 2001

13 Killed as al-Qaeda Men Attack Pak Troops

At least 13 people, including six security personnel, were killed Wednesday when al-Qaeda prisoners being transported to Kohat by the Pakistani security agencies, seized weapons and opened fire on their captors in the Kurram Agency area.

"We have reports of 13 casualties from both sides in the shootout between the security personnel and the al-Qaeda militants. Seven al-Qaeda members have been killed in the gunbattle; and six of the security personnel have lost their lives," a senior government official told The News.

However, Alizai tribal residents put the number of dead security guards at 10, which could not be confirmed from official sources. Six others, all of them Pakistani nationals, were injured in the fight and removed to the agency headquarters hospital.

According to an official press note, 156 al-Qaeda men arrested by the law enforcing agencies at the Pak-Afghan border in Kurram Agency, were being transported to Kohat in three buses and two trucks. At about 10.30 am, the captives of a bus snatched weapons from some of the armed guards, and tried to take control of the bus.

In the ensuing melee the bus carrying 48 al-Qaeda men careened off the road near Arawali village in Kurram Agency and plunged into a 20-feet ravine. Other captives, taking advantage of the situation, ran for escape. Law enforcing agencies chased the fleeing al-Qaeda men and succeeded in arresting 21 of them. A security cordon has been exercised in the entire area and hectic search is in progress for the arrest of remaining 20 escapees.

Official sources said the arrested militants are nationals of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria, who are believed to be staunch supporters of Osama bin Laden.

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