Four Pakistani soldiers, 11 militants killed

Islamabad, May 22 (IANS/EFE) Eleven militants and four soldiers were killed in a gun battle between the army and the Taliban in Pakistan’s tribal area of North Waziristan, official sources said Thursday.

The fighting took place Wednesday night in Mirali area, a military source told Efe.
The clash followed “precision air strikes” by Pakistan’s air force in the region in which 60 insurgents were killed, according to officials.
The army said that among those who died in the bombings were foreign fighters and “important commanders” of the Taliban insurgency who had been involved in attacks against civilians and the military.
The main Taliban group, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the government started a dialogue in February that is now at a standstill.
–IANS/EFE
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