Four soldiers killed in Taliban clash

PESHAWAR: War planes pounded a militant stronghold in a tribal district on the Afghan border in an operation that left 25 insurgents dead, the military said Sunday.

Army, paramilitary troops and the air force launched a joint operation "to evict terrorists' stronghold of Walidad" in Mohmand on Saturday, it said.

"Ground operation was preceded with precise strikes by Air Force aircraft on terrorists' bunkers and positions," it said.

"After an intensive fight, troops were able to secure Walidad Top and surrounding areas of the mountain and managed to kill 25 terrorists, while remaining fled across the border," it said.

Four soldiers were killed and eight wounded.

Local officials earlier said three Pakistani soldiers were killed and at least 13 wounded when dozens of Taliban forces stormed Walidad Kor post in Baizai village of Mohmand district, chief Maqsood Hussain told AFP.

"The militants, believed to be more than 50 and armed with light and heavy weapons, triggering a gunfight that lasted about an hour," he said.

Three soldiers of the paramilitary Frontier Corps were killed and at least 13 wounded, he said adding that four militants were killed and an unspecified number wounded.

The military statement said "troops are consolidating their positions in the area and search operation for remnants is in progress."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011