Four Pakistani soldiers die in clashes with militants

Tirah Valley: At least four Pakistani soldiers were killed on Friday during an operation against militants in the troubled tribal belt on the Afghan border, officials said.

The fighting took place in the Tirah valley of Khyber district, where the military has been bombarding Taliban and other militants who pose a fresh threat to the nearby northwestern city of Peshawar, a key battleground in upcoming elections.

A senior security official told AFP that 14 militants were also killed in the operation, but the death toll was not possible to verify independently as the area is cut off to journalists and aid workers.

"Four soldiers embraced martyrdom and five others were wounded in a gunfight," the official added.

A second official also confirmed the incident. Pakistani troops have been fighting for years against homegrown insurgents in the northwestern tribal belt, where the United States has accused them of not doing enough to crack down on Taliban and other militants active in Afghanistan.