Twenty-seven Pakistani police and paramilitary soldiers and up to 40 insurgents were killed in clashes after heavily armed militants crossed over from Afghanistan and attacked a checkpoint, officials said today.
Skirmishes broke out after about 200 militants launched a pre-dawn attack on the post in a remote village in Dir region yesterday.
"We have shifted the bodies of police and paramilitary forces killed in the clash to a hospital, and now they are being transported to their hometowns," a police official told Reuters.
He said 35 to 40 militants were killed. There was no way to verify that toll because most journalists are not allowed to enter the border region in the northwest, the epicentre of fighting between militants and security forces. Militants often dispute official casualty counts.
Pakistan's Taliban movement, which has close ties to al-Qaeda, has increased pressure on the US-backed government after vowing to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special forces on May 2nd in a Pakistani town. It has stepped up suicide bombings, attacking paramilitary cadets, a naval base, a US consulate convoy and other targets.
Government officials said army troops were moved to Dir early today to support security forces. The fighting lasted for more than 24 hours.
"The fighting has now stopped and our forces have now regained the control of the area," a security official said. The battle erupted after militants dressed in military uniforms attacked the post and killed one policeman.
Reuters