At least 10 militants, including an aide of Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah, and three soldiers were killed as Pakistani security forces on Sunday stepped up their operations against rebels in the restive Malakand division and the tribal belt.
Ehsan alias Abu Jandal, described as an aide of Fazlullah, the Taliban chief in Swat valley, was killed during operations in the Qambar area, Geo News channel reported.
Ehsan was reportedly killed when security forces bombarded Qambar after facing tough resistance from militants in the area.
Four suspected militants were killed when combat jets carried out air strikes in Datakhel area of North Waziristan Agency, where the army launched an operation after a recent attack on a military convoy.
Reports said some civilians were also killed in artillery shelling in the area.
Five militants were killed and 10 more injured in clashes with troops in the Orakzai tribal region. Seventeen militants have been killed so far in the semi-autonomous region, media reports said.
The military said in a statement that three soldiers were killed and four injured when an exchange of fire erupted while troops were conducting a search near Barikot in Swat valley. Two more security personnel were injured in operations in Swat.
{{/usCountry}}The military said in a statement that three soldiers were killed and four injured when an exchange of fire erupted while troops were conducting a search near Barikot in Swat valley. Two more security personnel were injured in operations in Swat.
{{/usCountry}}