Thousands of armed Pakistanis cross into Afghanistan

Reports from Islamabad tell of a steady stream of armed Pakistani Islamic fundamentalists crossing into Afghanistan to fight with the Taleban.

The tribal areas along the Pakistani/Afghan border have enjoyed a status of quasi-autonomy since the British colonial era, due to the impenetrable nature of the terrain. It is through these areas that thousands of armed Pakistani fundamentalist militia are crossing into Afghanistan, according to a leader of the Jihad movement in Pakistan.

“The trains are continuing. There are around 1,500 people per day”, he declared. The Pakistani government is unable to control this movement of volunteers, most of which takes place around the Ghaki Pass in Bajaur.

It is not clear whether these volunteers are being accepted by the Taleban. Last week, tens of thousands of armed Pakistanis were turned back at the frontier, when the Taleban told them they were not needed. Some were elderly and others were armed with nothing more than swords.

John ASHTEAD PRAVDA.Ru LONDON UNITED KINGDOM