Pakistani Troops Kill Around 46 Militants After Attack By 600 Rebels

January 12, 2009 1:40 a.m. EST

Peshawar, Pakistan (AHN) - At least 40 militants were killed by Pakistani soldiers after several hundreds of foreign and local Taliban fighters attacked the government troops in a tribal area near the Afghan border, reports said Sunday.

The official said around 46 militants were killed and six Pakistani paramilitary personnel were dead after the security forces repulsed a daring attack by over 600 rebels.

The insurgent fighters attacked a military camp and checkpoint in the Mohmand tribal area in northwest Pakistan late Saturday night. Gun battle continued till the early hours on Sunday.

The Mohammad Ghat military camp is located in the Mohmand agency north of Peshawar and close to the Afghanistan border.

The gun battles on the Frontier Corps started at 2:00 a.m. local time (2100 GMT) and raged for several hours.

At least six more Frontier Corps personnel were injured and around 25 remain missing. Local reports said the tribal region is a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.

Security in the border towns near Afghanistan has deteriorated as Pakistani military troops continue to carry out operations in regions that are considered as safe haven for the militants.

Pakistani government has been under pressure from U.S. officials and Afghan President Hamid Karzai who complained that the new ruling government in Islamabad and its intelligence agencies have failed to flush out militants from its tribal regions.

Pakistani authorities have dismissed the allegations , saying it has killed more than 1,500 rebels have in the Bajur region near the Afghan border since August.

Pakistani security forces have confirmed that fighting - which involves fighter jets, helicopter gun ships and artillery - is still going on as the militants have control over the strategically important area.