Islamabad, Oct 17: The US has moved hundreds of new troops to the Afghan area bordering Pakistan's insurgent-infested North Waziristan tribal region along with heavy artillery, helicopter gunships and sealed movement on the border, local media reports here said.
 US forces deployed to new positions in the border areas facing Ghulam Khan in Pakistan between Saturday and Sunday night.
 The troops occupied nearby vantage heights on hilltops, setting up observation posts, The News International said quoting Pakistani security officials and tribal elders.
 Geo television reported that tribesmen living in the border areas said Afghan and US authorities had clamped a curfew in parts of Afghanistan's eastern Khost province and started house-to-house search.
 The villagers in Ghulam Khan said NATO warplanes were also seen flying over the border region several times during the day.
 The News reported that the abrupt deployment of US forces near the border area with Pakistan has escalated tension in the militancy-plagued North Waziristan tribal region as US forces immediately sealed the main road connecting Pakistan border town of Ghulam Khan and Khost for traffic.
 Pakistani security officials in North Waziristan confirmed the latest development and said they were monitoring the situation on the border with Afghanistan, The News reported.
 There is no word from the US and NATO forces on the Pakistani media reports.
 The American troop movement has been reported as US unmanned spy planes have stepped up strikes in the Waziristan tribal belt over the past few days. Washington has said that North Waziristan is a haven for members of the Haqqani network.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST