Islamabad: Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said today (Jan 8, 2004) that the Army has launched a major offensive against suspected terrorists believed to be in a mountainous region near the Afghanistan border.

The hideouts are believed to be used by al-Qaida fugitives, he said.

"It is still unclear if there were any arrests during the ongoing operation", the Minister said, adding that additional information would be provided later in the day.

Gen Shaukat Sultan, the Army spokesman said that the operation was continuing. He said that the operation is going on near Wana, the headquarters of the deeply conservative South Waziristan tribal region.

South Waziristan is one of the main suspected hideouts for Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida operatives. According to unofficial sources, US planes had dropped leaflets yesterday (Jan 7, 2004) near Wana asking residents to cooperate with the Army authorities and hand over terrorists hiding there.