30 dead as police raid rebel camps in Pak

Pak military spokesman confirmed that a raid had taken place on a militant base in Waziristan, but he didn't have any information on casualties.

Pakistani helicopter gunships and ground forces attacked a militant camp in North Waziristan on Wednesday killing around 30 people, according to a political agent for the tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

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"It was a training camp of foreign miscreants," Sayed Zaheerul Islam, the political agent, told the agency. Islam said the attack occurred at Saidgai, about 15 km north of Miranshah, the main town in the region.

The attack came shortly after 0730 hrs IST, days before US President George W Bush is due to arrive in Pakistan in a trip that will also take him to India.

An ammunition dump at the base, which officials said was near the border with Pakistan, was also hit and explosions could be heard in Miranshah.

Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan confirmed that a raid had taken place on a militant base in Waziristan, but he didn't have any information on casualties.

Shaukat, speaking on Geo television channel, said there were reports that there were local and foreign fighters in the camp.