Pakistani tribesmen enter Afghanistan to fight against US

Several hundred Pakistani tribesmen have entered Afghanistan to join the Taliban in their battle with the US.

The tribesmen, followers of a hardline Islamic group, were stranded at Bajur, a small north western border town of Pakistan, for about a week after the Afghan Taliban authorities refused them entry into their country.

The Taliban have been asked by Pakistan's military-led Government not to recruit Pakistani nationals in their ranks to fight the northern-based opposition or any other country.

The Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Salam Zaeef, said that the Taliban do not need any foreign volunteers until the United States commits ground forces to the fight.

Out of thousands of volunteers, only 1,000 men have been chosen to go to Afghanistan by the hardline Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammed, or the Movement for the Imposition of Islamic Law.

Maulvi Mohammad Ismail led the group of volunteers armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, rocket launchers and automatic weapons, according to Kifayat Ullah, a resident of Bajur, 120 kilometres (70 miles) northwest of Peshawar.

Shouting slogans "down with America and America we are coming," the militants walked through the rugged mountain path to enter Afghanistan. They were carrying their bedding and food on their backs along with their weapons and ammunition, Ullah said by telephone.

Islamic groups, enraged by the government's pro-US policy, are holding nationwide rallies in an attempt to force the government to stop the United States from using Pakistani airspace and bases for operations against Afghanistan.