Washington, Sept 19: US’ unilateral strikes on Pakistani soil was not a viable long term solution to the prevailing situation along the Pak-Afghan border, instead co-operative efforts between the anti-terrorism partners - Pakistan and the US – would provide the best way forward, said US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

Peshawar, Sept 19 : A senior Al Qaeda commander, said to be an Arab, was reportedly killed in yet another US drone attack, this time on a remote village in South Waziristan Agency, last evening.

Besides, six others, including one more Arab, were also killed in the drone attack.

The two Arabs were identified as Jiran, the al-Qaeda commander, and one Sabri, said sources close to the tribal militants.

US unmanned aircraft continue to hover over Pakistan territory despite Army Chief-level talks between the two sides held on Tuesday, after which America had said in a statement that it would “respect Pakistan’s sovereignty”.

Washington, Sept 19 : For the first time in past seven years, after former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf pledged his country’s support to US-led global war on terror, the Pak-US alliance appears to be under significant strain. Last Tuesday, America''s top military officer Admiral Mike Mullen flew to Islamabad to clam down the increasing anger in Pakistan over the recent increase in US’ strikes against militants along Pak-Afghan border.

Admiral Mullen''s need to rush to Pakistan – his fifth visit in the past year – points to a new and testing phase for the US-Pakistani alliance, said an article in the Christian Science Monitor (CSM).

Vienna, Sept 19 : A leading US think tank has warned that Pakistan could soon acquire capability of producing atom bombs, as it was close to completing a second plutonium-producing reactor, and all set to build a third.

These reactors could increase its ability to make atomic bombs, which, in turn could increase tensions between India and Pakistan, said the think tank.

The report said that India could “easily match” Pakistan’s moves given its own ability to churn out plutonium in heavy water reactors and a fast-breeder reactor under construction.

Islamabad- Two of three suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up Thursday after residents in Pakistan's restive North-West Frontier Province tried to apprehend them, officials said.

Three militants stopped briefly in the village of Maskeray in the Dir district, were spotted by residents and challenged, Mayor Bakht Sher said in a telephone interview. The two sides exchanged fire and the two militants blew themselves up, he said.

The third militant fled into a forest near the village but was later seized by the locals and beaten severely, Sher said.

Nouakchott  - The al-Qaeda terrorist network on Wednesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a Mauritanian military unit three days ago.

In a letter published on Islamist websites, al-Qaeda claimed the "jihadist brigades of Yahya Dshawadi, Prince of the Desert" had assaulted the soldiers near Zouerat in northern Mauritania and taken two of them hostage, among them a captain.

Initially, 12 soldiers had been reported missing after the attack.