Pakistan army patrols on the border with Afghanistan and refugee camps are helping to block Taliban reinforcements moving into the south, a Nato commander said on Sunday. A Nato and Afghan operation, launched in the southern province of Helmand nearly three weeks ago, had not met with any "major mobilisation" of forces, Major General Ton van Loon told reporters.
In that area, "We are seeing that there are limited amounts of foreign fighters coming into the country, and I think the Pakistanis are really making a big difference," the Dutch general told reporters.
There had been an "increase in patrolling at the border, and around refugee camps, by Pakistan's army," he said. Afghan and Western officials have stepped up pressure on Pakistan in past months to do more to stop militants moving from bases on Pakistani soil into Afghanistan to feed the Taliban-led insurgency.