Pakistan kills militants, Afghan violence worsens

ANGOR ADDA, Pakistan, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Pakistani forces killed eight suspected al Qaeda fighters on Thursday and arrested 18 in an operation near the Afghan border touted as a demonstration of commitment to the U.S.-led war on terror.

In neighbouring Afghanistan, two Canadian peacekeepers were killed and three hurt when their vehicle hit a landmine, Canada's first casualties since joining the NATO-led force in August.

Afghan officials reported another 17 deaths, including 10 soldiers and two children, taking to more than 300 the number of people killed in violence since the start of August, much of it blamed on a resurgent Taliban.

An official from the ousted hardline regime said the militia's elusive one-eyed supreme leader Mullah Omar had approved a new commander for southern Afghanistan, Mullah Wakil Ahmed, and attacks were likely to be stepped up.

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