"Militants intruding into Afghanistan from Pak side"

Kabul, Apr 25 : A top US general in Afghanistan has said that a large number of insurgents were still pouring into Afghanistan from Pakistan, as a result of which insurgent violence in Afghanistan could reach record levels this year.

Maj-Gen Jeffrey J Schloesser, who commands US forces in Afghanistan, also said that most of the recent violence was targeted at innocent Afghani people or security forces protecting the development projects.

"Violence this year may well reach a higher level than it did in 2007. What I have seen so far is the level of violence is more directed toward ... innocent Afghan people or ... not military forces, but forces such as police, and other security forces that are out trying to protect development projects," The News quoted Schloesser as saying while speaking to reporters in Kabul.

"I think they are afraid to attack ... coalition forces and so they are going for what is an easier target," said Schloesser, who heads the 101st Airborne Division.

Schloesser also said a large number of Taliban and other militants, including foreign fighters, were crossing from Pakistan into Afghanistan to fight against US-led coalition and Afghan troops.

"I do believe that those forces that we are fighting, that are the enemy of the Afghan people, are also a threat to Pakistani people," he said, and added that the region of Pakistan is an "area that I am concerned about," but any coalition action there would be conducted in cooperation with Pakistan authorities.

ANI