35 die in Pakistani raid
2008-10-12 21:49
Islamabad - Pakistani helicopter gunships on Sunday bombed a meeting of Islamic militants linked to al-Qaeda near the border with Afghanistan, leaving 35 fighters dead, security officials said.
Among the dead were two Taliban commanders and 12 potential suicide bombers, they said.
"Helicopter gunships carried out a successful raid at a militant hide-out in Orakzai district killing 35," a senior security official told AFP.
The attack came two days after a suicide bomber killed at least 40 anti-Taliban tribesmen at a mass meeting in Orakzai.
In a separate statement, a paramilitary official confirmed around a dozen potential suicide bombers were among those killed in Sunday's raid.
"The raid was carried out after ground intelligence that the Taliban were meeting and their commanders and potential suicide bombers would be there," he said.
- AFP