Pakistan-Militants
Pakistan security forces have killed 10 suspected militants in the country's northwest in a major operation, the army said Friday.

Five soldiers were also injured during the operation launched in the Hangu district of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) against local Taliban on July 16, the army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.

The operation will continue till the 'miscreants' are expelled from the area, TV channels quoted Abbas as saying.

The operation was launched against the local Taliban after the killing of 17 soldiers from the paramilitary 'Frontier Constabulary' and blowing up of Frontier Constabulary posts by miscreants in the area, the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said.

Taliban shot the troops dead after they were surrounded for three hours at Zargari locality of Hangu area.

The Army was called by the NWFP Government in aid of civil power to control the deteriorating Law and Order situation, the army spokesman said.

The Security Forces launched an operation on 16 July against miscreants in the area of District Hangu, he said.

The Security Forces have successfully secured area upto Gulistan, North of Hangu and Zargari, north of Doaba, according to the spokesman.

"The operation will continue till the time the area is cleared of miscreants," Abbas said.

He said that the army has taken full control of Zargari town, the stronghold of the Taliban and have also launched search for the suspects.

Abbas said the army has sealed the area and is fortified positions there.

A local Taliban spokesman Maulvi Haider said that the militants are still present in Zargari and that troops have been driven out of the area.

He also claimed that Taliban killed 30 troops in the last night fighting.

There was no independent confirmation of the killing.

Witnesses said that the forces and militants also clashed at Shna Warey area of Hnagu district and that both suffered casualties.

The troops shelled suspected positions of Taliban in some other areas.

Locals said that the army shelling has also killed five civilians.

However the army spokesman said that the civilians were killed as the result of mortars firing by Taliban on population.