22 Pakistanis killed in Afghanistan

Hindustan Times: Twenty-two Pakistani tribesmen from South Waziristan have been killed in Afghanistan in the current offensive by US-led forces and the Afghan security forces.

Those who died were found in action in Paktia and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan, the hotbed of the Taliban activities that Kabul has been busy thwarting, The Nation newspaper reported.

Pakistan officially denies the involvement of its nationals in Afghanistan, but has blamed the role of "a few individuals" for the border between the two countries being poorly guarded on the Afghanistan side.

This has been the cause of a slinging match between the two neighbours involving the two presidents, Hamid Karzai and Pervez Musharraf.

North and South Waziristan have witnessed free movement of Taliban fighters. The area is supposed to have sheltered Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and Taliban chief Mullah Omar at different times, says the western media.

Those who were killed in the operation were from the Mehsood tribe and belonged to Ladha, Makin, Sarogha, Tiarza and other tribal areas. The dead were laid to rest in their native areas, the newspaper said, quoting an online report.