India-Pakistan: January 18, 2002

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Two Pushtun tribes (one Afghan, one Pakistani) fought a gun battle near the Khyber Pass and closed the road for most of the day. The tribes were arguing over a kidnapping. Near the Indian border, Pakistan shot down an Indian recon drone (UAV). Pakistani police continue to look for foreign al Qaeda members and arresting them. Seven were arrested today. The foreign (mainly Arab) al Qaeda members are not popular in Pakistan, so there are few political problems with the police going after them. Some of the 10,000 madrassass (religious schools, often supported by foreign money) have threatened to resist with force any government attempts to regulate them.