Pakistan-Bodies
Nine bodies of Pakistani Taliban fighters, who had been killed in fighting with foreign troops in Afghanistan, have been repatriated, local Taliban sources said Sunday.

The slain Taliban fighters belong to Mulla Nazir, a Pakistani Taliban leader operating in the South Waziristan tribal region.

Deputy Commander of the group Maulana Muhammad Iqbal is among the dead, Taliban sources said.

Three slain fighters are in the age between 15 to 20 years, according to the local tribesmen.

The bodies were repatriated to Wana, the headquarters of South Wazirisan early Sunday from Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province, Taliban sources said.

Pakistani fighters were killed in recent fighting with NATO and Afghan forces, they said.

Witnesses said that the bodies were badly burnt and were difficult to be identified.

Local sources said that Muhammad Iqbal, deputy commander of Mulla Nazir group, led a group of around 30 fighters to Afghanistan late last month to join the Taliban.

They had launched an attack on coalition forces in Paktika and were killed when they were returning after the air raids by coalition fighter planes, Taliban sources in Waziristan said.

The fighters brought to Pakistan nine bodies of their colleagues and three left in Afghanistan, the sources said.

Bodies of Pakistani fighters had also been repatriated to the tribal region in the past.

U.S and Afghan forces believe that fighters are still crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan tribal regions, bordering Afghanistan.