Pak takes action against East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement

The Pakistan Army is taking action against the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement, which has been accused of carrying out recent attacks in the restive Xinjiang region of China, a military spokesman said today.

The Pakistan Army has been conducting and will continue operations against the ETIM, Inter-Services Public Relations chief Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the media.

China has "always been appreciative of Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror", he said.

Hasan Mahsum, China's most wanted terrorist with links to ETIM, was killed in Pakistan's tribal belt in October 2003 while Abdul Haq al-Turkistani alias Miamaitming Maimaili, who was a leader of ETIM, was killed by Pakistani forces in February this year, Abbas said.

"Our cooperation in the field of operations and intelligence will continue against the common threat of terrorism," Abbas said.

Hours after China blamed militants trained in a camp in Pakistan for an attack in the restive Xinjiang region, Islamabad said on Monday that it would extend "full cooperation" to Beijing in countering ETIM rebels.

China said Islamic extremists were behind the attack in Xinjiang region that left 11 people dead.

Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang resent the presence of Han Chinese and religious and political controls imposed by Beijing.

The attack came a day after two small blasts hit Kashgar, a city dominated by Uighurs.

A Chinese government statement said the leaders of the group behind the blasts had been trained in using explosives and weapons at a camp run by the ETIM in Pakistan.