Pakistan Says Anti-Militant Offensive A Success

The Pakistani army says a four-month-old offensive against militant groups in a northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan is progressing "successfully."

Army spokesman Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said on October 29 that most areas of North Waziristan have been cleared of militants.

He said the operations' positive impact was being felt across Pakistan with a decrease in "terrorist attacks, extortion, and kidnappings."

Bajwa said at least 1,100 militants and 100 soldiers have been killed in the operations since June.

The numbers cannot be independently verified.

The spokesman also accused Afghanistan of failure to cooperate with the ongoing offensive, saying militants were "roaming freely" across the border.

Islamabad and Kabul have accused each other of either failing to deal effectively with militants or of supporting them.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP