PARACHINAR, Pakistan: Pakistani soldiers fighting inside the hometown of the Pakistani Taliban leader gained ground yesterday as they pressed ahead with a major offensive on a militant sanctuary close to the Afghan border, intelligence officials said.

The military called on the NATO troops in Afghanistan to seal the border "to prevent cross-border movement and flow of weapons". Pakistani newspapers have in recent days reported that NATO forces had abandoned border posts opposite South Waziristan, raising the possibility of Afghan Taliban coming to help their Pakistani comrades, or of Pakistani Taliban fleeing.

The military's advances came as intelligence officials said suspected US missiles killed three alleged militants in a neighboring region where the army has tried to convince other insurgent factions to stay neutral during the military assault in South Waziristan.