Pakistan claims 9 Taliban killed

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 18 (UPI) -- Pakistani airstrikes pounded a suspected Taliban hideout Saturday, killing nine Islamic extremists, intelligence officials said.

The Pakistani fighter jets targeted Hakim Ullah, a deputy of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, in the Orakzai area, Dawn reported. However, two intelligence agents, who weren't named, said it wasn't known if Ullah was among those killed in the attack in the country's northwest region, the Pakistani newspaper said.

Three suspected militants were killed in the Swat Valley area in the previous 24 hours, Dawn said. One soldier was killed and three wounded in fighting in the Bannua area.

The attack at Orakzai came a day after missiles suspected to have been fired by U.S. drones killed at least five suspected militants in the nearby tribal region of North Waziristan.