Two Pakistani soldiers, five Taliban militants killed in clashes

Aug 21, 2011, 11:21 GMT

Islamabad - Two Pakistani soldiers were killed Sunday and about six were wounded in three attacks by Taliban in the volatile north-western region, while five militants died in retaliatory action, security officials said.

An estimated 12 militants targeted a security check post in South Waziristan, one of seven tribal districts where al-Qaeda and Taliban have hideouts, with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

An intelligence official confirmed the deaths of one soldier and two militants, and said one soldier was wounded.

In the neighboring North Waziristan district, militants raided a security check post in the Pasht Ziarat area, and the ensuing gun battle went on for more than an hour.

Another intelligence official said one soldier was killed and six soldiers were wounded in this attack, while three Taliban died and seven or eight militants were wounded.

North Waziristan is believed to be a hub of global terrorism because of the presence of al-Qaeda training camps and bases of the Afghan Taliban network.

The United States has pressed Pakistan for action in the district, but Islamabad says its forces are overstretched because of the operations in other north-western districts.

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