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Pakistani army convoy attacked

Mar 23, 2004

Attackers ambushed a Pakistani army convoy on Tuesday, killing 12 soldiers and wounding 22 more, as tribal elders tried to persuade encircled al Qaeda fighters to surrender.

The army, which says it has trapped hundreds of militants and their Pakistani tribal allies in rugged territory near the Afghan border, held fire on Monday to let a delegation of elders talk peace.

However, a convoy heading for the town of Wana to support the operation against the militants was ambushed by fighters with rockets.

"There were 12 dead and 22 wounded," one government official told Reuters. "The army has blocked the road from both ends and no one is allowed to go in."

There was no information on casualties among the attackers.

The battle, involving 5,000 troops, is the biggest Pakistan has ever waged in its semi-autonomous tribal area and is part of a major push to try and sweep foreign militants from the Afghan border region and catch al Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden.

US forces are hunting on the other side of the border. The twin operations come amid heightened worldwide anxiety over al Qaeda attacks.