ISLAMABAD, March 29: Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations, confirmed here on Monday that the chief of the Al Qaeda intelligence network, Abdullah, had been killed in the recent operation launched by the Pakistan army against wanted foreign militants and other terrorists in South Waziristan.

Speaking at the weekly Foreign Office news briefing, he said that Abdullah's death had been confirmed by 'independent sources' but his nationality and further personal information and particulars were not yet available.

This, Gen Shaukat said, was a significant development, besides the report regarding Tahir Yuldashev of Uzbekistan who had been seriously wounded in the operation. He was described as the number 10th in Al Qaeda hierarchy.

Paying glowing tribute to the armed forces, including the Frontier militia, for their role in the operation as part of international coalition's war on terrorism, Gen Shaukat pledged "same efforts will continue throughout the country, including tribal areas, till we are satisfied that these areas are cleaned up of all such (terrorist) elements". He emphasized "our focus is on foreign elements".

The chief military spokesman observed: "The success of the operation has been achieved at a cost (46 troops killed, 26 injured) which is certainly high", but he said that the "relatively high casualties was a small price for the lofty cause of elimination of terrorism from Pakistan's territory.

AFP adds: Sixty-three militants were killed and 166 fighters, including 93 Pakistani tribesmen and 73 foreigners, were captured, Gen Sultan said. He said Al Qaeda fighters had threatened, terrorized or paid large sums of money to local tribesmen to hide them.

"Some of them are living (with tribes) forcibly and some of them are offering rent as high as 500 dollars a month for a compound they are hiring or renting for their sanctuary," Gen Sultan said. Talking to AFP earlier about withdrawal of troops from certain areas, the spokesman said: "This withdrawal should not be misunderstood."

"It doesn't mean the troops are out of the area. They are still in the area, at different locations in different garrisons." Commanders conceded that many militants had escaped, either through underground tunnels or by slipping through the 60 square kilometre cordon.

"You cannot rule out a few slipping away either on foot, using the cover of darkness as well as using the cover of terrain," Gen Sultan said. Despite the losses and failure to capture Yuldashev, the military claimed to have achieved its objectives.

"Destruction of a major terrorist stronghold, defence works like tunnels, trenches, towers and communications systems. Most of the miscreants have either been killed, captured or dispersed in small groups," he said.