Waziristan, Pakistan
Pakistani army officers and pro-Taliban militants hugged each other this week after signing a peace agreement in North Waziristan, a semi-autonomous region bordering Afghanistan. Pakistani troops have been stationed there for several years, sporadically fighting militants drawn from the local tribes as well as Arab, Afghan, and Central Asian militants believed to be linked with al Qaida. Under the peace deal, no resident will shelter foreign fighters or cross into Afghanistan to attack Afghan or coalition forces. “If the foreigners want to live in North Waziristan, they will have to obey the Pakistani laws and stay away from militancy,” said Shah Zaman Khan, spokesman for the provincial governor. Waziristan is often cited as a possible hiding place for Osama bin Laden.
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