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PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - The jagged mountains of Pakistan's tribal belt conceal the passage of Taliban fighters into Afghanistan. Its mud fortresses are perfect for training suicide bombers. And al-Qaida kingpins likely find refuge among its Pashtun inhabitants.
With U.S. intelligence agencies warning that al-Qaida is regrouping at Pakistan's frontier, and Taliban militants launching suicide attacks almost daily, this key ally in the U.S.-led war on terrorism is under growing pressure to crack down on militancy.
More than 300 people died nationwide after Pakistan's army stormed a pro-Taliban mosque in its capital on July 10, triggering reprisal attacks by extremists. The latest suicide bombing killed 13 people near the Red Mosque in Islamabad on Friday.
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