UPDATE 1-Pakistani elders vow to protect vital Khyber Pass

(Adds rebels in Baluchistan say suspend attacks)

By Ibrahim Shinwari

LANDIKOTAL, Pakistan, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Ethnic Pashtun tribal elders in Pakistan have promised to ensure security for supplies trucked through the Khyber Pass bound for foreign forces in Afghanistan, a government official said on Tuesday.

The Khyber Pass is a vital artery for supplies for U.S. and other foreign forces in landlocked Afghanistan and militants have been attacking trucks and tankers carrying military equipment and fuel.

According to transport companies, more than 20 trucks hauling containers and a dozen oil-tankers have been attacked in the region since June and some drivers have been kidnapped and killed.

Tahab Khan, a senior government official in the Khyber region, said elders had signed an agreement with authorities on Monday to ensure the safety of supplies.

"They will not only be responsible for security but also take strict action against violators," Khan told Reuters.

Elders traditionally wield power in Pashtun society although militants have killed several hundred of them since Pakistan joined the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism and tried to root out foreign al Qaeda militants and subdue their Pakistani allies.

The Khyber Pass is the one of two land routes for supplies going to Afghanistan from Pakistan and its main port of Karachi. The other border crossing is at the southwestern town of Chaman.