At least 31 militants and three soldiers were killed today in two separate incidents of violence in the country's troubled northwest tribal region where the military has launched a major offensive against the Taliban.
Twenty militants were killed while three hideouts and two ammunition dumps were wiped out in the airstrikes by Pakistani fighter jets in Khyber tribal area early today.
The strikes targeted Tor Dara, Tirah, Jatoi and Rajgal areas of Khyber Agency, Dawn reported.
Separately, a group of militants from Afghanistan attacked a Pakistani post in Dandi Kuch in North Wazirastan which prompted the troops to open fire in retaliation.
Eleven terrorists were killed and one apprehended while three Pakistani soldiers also died in the exchange of fire, the army said in a statement.
Three dead bodies of the militants are in the custody of the security forces.
Khyber is one of Pakistan's seven semi-autonomous regions governed by tribal laws and the area lies near Afghan border.
The Taliban and other al-Qaeda-linked groups, which stage attacks in both Pakistan and Afghanistan are known to have strongholds in the zone.
The military in June launched the Operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' against the Taliban in North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan to flush out the militant group's strongholds.
The operation was launched following a deadly attack on Karachi international airport which killed 37 people.
Three months into the operation, the military said it has cleared more than 80 per cent of the territory in North Waziristan including its regional headquarters of Miramshah.
Earlier, an army statement had put the official number of "terrorists" killed in the Operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' at 910 and said that 82 Pakistani soldiers had also lost their lives during the North Waziristan offensive.
