Pakistan ? Foreign militants and local tribesmen in northern Pakistan resumed fighting near the Afghan border Thursday after a brief break to bury the latest of their 135 dead, security officials said.

Pakistan has cited the fighting as a success in its efforts to get ethnic Pashtun tribes to root out al-Qaida fighters hiding in the region. But experts say the bloodshed underscored the government’s inability to police the region and could unleash a cycle of violence between warring factions.

About 100 foreigners, mostly Uzbeks, and their supporters have died in the bloodshed that began Monday in the South Waziristan region, the three senior officials told The Associated Press.

About 25 tribesmen and 10 civilians caught in the crossfire have been killed, they said. The officials – one from the military and two intelligence agents – spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.