Backed by tanks and fighter jets, Pakistan Army launched the much-awaited major ground offensive to flush out Taliban from their stronghold of Waziristan tribal region and immediately ran into heavy resistance.

Troops were locked in fierce clashes with Taliban, who were reported using heavy weapons, to hold back the army advance, officials said.

As fighter jets bombed Taliban bases, an estimated 30,000-40,000 troops advanced from three directions towards areas inhabited by the Mehsud tribe, the main stronghold of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Hakimullah Mehsud.

Before the tanks and troops rolled out, the government clamped indefinite curfew in the entire Waziristan region to ensure that the movement by soldiers was not interfered with.

The Pakistan Army's move comes after the country's top political leadership gave the go-ahead as it endorsed plans to root out militants blamed for a wave of deadly attacks.

Reports said the soldiers ran into resistance soon after the operation began. Militants armed with heavy weapons attacked troops at Sharwangi, one of the first Mehsud-dominated areas they encountered.

The offensive in Waziristan follows months of airstrikes by fighters and helicopter gunships intended to soften the Army's advance into the terrorists haven.

Though there is no exact count, reports say about 10,000 militants belonging to the Taliban or Al Qaida are present in South Waziristan. Besides these, there are another 1,000-1,500 Uzbek fighters.

Pakistani forces are reported to be heading for Makeen and Ladha, the two main towns in Waziristan dominated by supporters of slain Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

... contd.