At least 12 al Qaeda linked militants, two of them foreigners, were killed when Pakistani helicopter gunships shelled rebel hideouts in a tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said. The casualties occurred on Wednesday in the Bajaur region, where Pakistani troops launched a major offensive against Islamic militants in August.
"Helicopter gunships pounded positions of militants in Badan area, killing 12 rebels including two foreigners," local administration official Mohammad Jamil Khan told AFP. He did not disclose nationality of the two foreigners. Foreigner is a term used by authorities for al Qaeda militants. The military says more than 1,000 militants have been killed since it launched its offensive in Bajaur in early August.