Pakistani troops in offensive to capture terrorists

PAKISTANI troops backed by helicopters launched an offensive yesterday to capture foreign terrorists in the mountains along the Afghan border where Osama bin Laden is thought to have bolt-holes.

The operations follow a bloody series of attacks this week in Afghanistan suspected of being carried out by

Taliban and possibly al-Qaida fighters, amid new calls purportedly by bin Laden in a taped message for Muslims to attack US forces and their allies.