Military: 30 militants killed in operation

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Pakistani security forces killed at least 30 militants during an operation in the Orakzai tribal area but lost five of their soldiers, officials said.

The Tuesday operation against the Pakistani Taliban was conducted in the Ghaljo area of the tribal region, in the northwest near the border with Afghanistan, Pakistan's Nation newspaper reported.

The report quoted an official as saying the clash followed an ambush by militants on a military patrol doing a routine search in the area.

The official said five soldiers died and 18 were injured in the ambush, the Nation reported. The official said several militants were wounded in the fighting.

The News International, quoting official sources, also said at least 30 militants and five soldiers died in the fighting. The report said the dead and injured soldiers were airlifted to a military hospital in Peshawar.

The report said the security forces retaliated after being ambushed and their gunship helicopters bombed the militants' hideouts. The militants killed included two commanders, the report said.

However, the report said a local commander of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan refuted the security forces' claim, adding the militants killed 15 soldiers and captured 10 others during the attack on security forces.

Other Pakistani media reports said the security forces had taken control of the strategic post of Dalanai in Orakzai following the fighting.