Ten Taliban militants were killed after troops fired artillery shells at suspected militant hideouts in Bajaur, officials said Wednesday. The casualties in Bajaur were the latest in a major military operation launched earlier this month that has claimed nearly 500 lives and displaced nearly 150,000 people.
"Security forces fired at militant positions and we have received reports that 10 militants have been killed," a security official told AFP, adding that the deaths happened in the villages of Salarzae and Mamoond.
Pakistan government is under huge international pressure to tackle al Qaeda and Taliban militants. US and Afghan officials say the rebels have sanctuaries in the rugged tribal border regions of Pakistan that they use to train, regroup and launch attacks on international troops in Afghanistan.