Jets, artillery kill 18 in anti-militant offensive

A military statement also said that terrorists were killed near Miramshah but did not give the exact number.

Pakistani jets and artillery pounded militant hideouts in North Waziristan, killing 18 foreign and local insurgents, officials said on Sunday.

Air strikes were carried out in the Mosaki area, 25 kilometres east of Miramshah, while artillery shelled militant hideouts in Kharkamar area, 30 kilometres west of Miramshah on Saturday night.

"Six terrorist hideouts and a huge ammunition cache were destroyed and at least 13 militants, most of them Uzbeks, were killed in the Saturday morning strikes," a security official told AFP.

He said five other insurgents were killed and two militant hideouts were destroyed by artillery fire in the Kharkamar area on Saturday night.

A local intelligence official confirmed the raids and militant casualties.

A military statement also said that a number of terrorists were killed but did not give the exact number.

The latest air strikes came a day after militants crossed from the Afghan province of Kunar to launch a pre-dawn ambush on a check post in Bajaur tribal district, killing three Pakistani soldiers.

"Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan side in Islamabad and Kabul on Saturday and reiterated that Afghanistan should eliminate the terrorist sanctuaries and not allow its territory to be used against Pakistan," the foreign ministry said in a statement.