Senators Visit Former Al-Qaida Region

ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Pakistan says a U.S. Senate delegation has paid a rare visit to a tribal region along the Afghanistan border that has long been considered a stronghold of al-Qaida, the Taliban and other insurgents.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that the delegation led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, visited the North Waziristan tribal region on Sunday.

Foreigners are largely banned from the tribal region, where Pakistan has been waging a military offensive to root out insurgents for two years. The U.S. frequently carries out drone strikes in the region targeting Taliban and al-Qaida leaders.

(KA)