Pakistan says attack kills at least 50 militants

WANA, Pakistan – Pakistani warplanes pummeled a suspected al-Qaida training facility near the border with Afghanistan on Thursday, flattening a vast mud-brick compound and killing at least 50 fighters, the military said.

The assault was among the fiercest in months of fighting in the dusty border region, considered a possible hide-out for Osama bin Laden and his deputy, who are still on the run nearly three years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said at least 50 people were killed, mostly Uzbeks, Arabs and Chechens. He said the camp was believed to be linked to bin Laden’s al-Qaida network.

“The foreign elements operating in these tribal areas have links with al-Qaida,” Sultan said. He said he had no information on whether any high-value al-Qaida targets were present at the site.

Military officials said ground troops moved in after the air assault; no military casualties were reported.