The militants attacked the check posts in Shindara and Khazana Kandao in Orakzai Agency near the Afghan border early this morning and Pakistani troops repulsed the assault, killing 20 militants and injuring 20 others.
At least four soldiers were also injured in the shootout. They have been brought to Peshawar for treatment.
Meanwhile, 39 militants, including two terrorist commanders, were killed in airstrikes by Pakistani fighter jets in the restive Dattakhel area.
Also yesterday, hundreds of terror suspects were arrested across Pakistan while 10 unregistered religious seminaries were sealed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as the the government stepped up its offensive against militants.
Orakzai is one of Pakistan's seven semi-autonomous tribal regions in the northwest, where militants linked to Pakistani Taliban and al-Qaeda are believed to have their stronghold.
