Barno

From [1] AP, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:

KABUL, Afghanistan — A top U.S. commander expressed concern Monday about Pakistan's counterterrorism strategy near the Afghan border and said a "significant" number of foreign militants holed up there must be eliminated.

"There are foreign fighters in those tribal areas who will have to be killed or captured," said Lt. Gen. David Barno, the commander of American forces in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has offered an amnesty to foreign militants in South Waziristan, a tribal region near the Afghan border where Al Qaeda and Taliban rebels are believed to be living.

On Saturday, the government pushed back by one week an April 30 deadline for foreigners to surrender. Despite a threat of renewed military action, no foreign militants have yet taken up the amnesty offer.

"It's very important that the Pakistani military continue with their operations to go after the foreign fighters in particular, who in my view will not be reconciled," Barno said at a news conference.

"We have some concerns that could go in the wrong directions," he said of the Pakistani operations.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan insisted there was no rift with the United States.

"Pakistan is saying nothing different from what the U.S. commander is saying. We also say that the foreign elements in our tribal areas must surrender, otherwise they will be killed," Sultan said.