Xinjiang militants among foreign fighters killed in Pakistan raids

BEIJING: Several Uyghur insurgents from China's volatile Xinjiang province were among 50 militants killed in air raids launched by Pakistani fighter jets in North Waziristan on the hideouts of foreign terror groups, Chinese official media reported today.

"There are reports of some ETIM terrorists also killed in the strikes," Pakistan military said in a new text message, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The Pakistan military had said over 50 "terrorists, mostly Uzbek" were killed in air strikes on their hideouts in North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan.

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is believed to have regrouped its fighters in the lawless Waziristan tribal region with the help of the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups in the volatile region, the Xinhua report said making a rare reference about militants from Xinjiang taking shelter in Pakistan.

A crackdown on the ETIM figured prominently in this month's meetings between Chinese officials and Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on his visit to China.

Xinjiang is witnessing a spate of militant attacks in recent times following unrest among the native Uyghur Muslims over the settlement of Hans from other parts of China.

The ETIM, an al-Qaeda backed outfit, has been accused of carrying out terrorist attacks in China.

The group is fighting for the independence of Xinjiang from China.