A roadside bomb killed seven Pakistani soldiers in the northwestern Khyber region on the Afghan border on Saturday, hours after warplanes struck suspected Taliban positions in a neighbouring tribal area, officials said.

Saturday's bomb hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary troops on a routine patrol in Sur Khar, about 50 km (30 miles) east of the region's main town, Landikotal, a Frontier Corps spokesman said.

"The vehicle was completely destroyed and seven of our soldiers were killed," he said.

The military launched an operation in Khyber in September after fighters attacked on military convoy to Western forces in Afghanistan to prevent U.S.-led invasion.

Southeast of Khyber, Pakistani warplanes bombed allegedly Taliban positions and destroyed 11 suspected bases, killing 13, a government official said.

Pakistan's army went on a massive offensive against Taliban fighters in the South Waziristan region three weeks ago after a billions-dollars aid deal with United states.

Security forces have captured Kotkai, an important strategic town and birthplace of Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, and surrounded a hub of Uzbek fighters, the military said.

According to military figures, 264 fighters and 33 soldiers have been killed in the fighting. There is no independent verification of casualty figures as journalists have been barred from visiting the war-zone.

Reuters

Güncelleme Tarihi: 31 Ekim 2009, 17:47