Taliban bomb kills 7 Pak soldiers

The militants struck at a paramilitary convoy of frontier corps as it was passing through Khyber region killing seven soldiers and wounding 11, the highest casualties suffered by the security forces in over a month.

The roadside bomb attack came as Pakistani air force jets pounded three hideouts of Tehrik-i-Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud in the Orakzai tribal area killing at least eight militants and wounding several others.

Pakistan soldiers fought running battles in the streets of the Taliban stronghold of Kaniguram and laid siege to two key militant bases in South Waziristan. Troops launched a search and clearance operation in Kaniguram, where a substantial number of Taliban and foreign fighters are based.

The militants had converted houses into bunkers and positioned snipers in towers across the town, the military said. “Forces are facing stiff resistance and receiving fire from different parts of the town, including mortar fire. Fighting in the streets is going on and a house-to-house search is in progress,” said a statement from the military.