9 Pakistani soldiers, 16 militants die in clashes

Officials in Pakistan’s Khyber tribal region said on Monday that nine paramilitary soldiers and 16 militants were killed in clashes. A spokesman for the paramilitary force 'Frontier Corps' said that heavily armed militants attacked security forces when they had on a routine patrolling at Bara area of the Khyber Agency.  Nine soldiers died at the scene and three others were injured. The security forces returned fire and killed 16 militants, the spokesman said. There was no independent confirmation of the killing of the militants.  The locals said that the militants had launched a major attack on a roadside check post of the security forces, inflicting heavy losses on the security forces.  The attack was so heavy that the security forces could not have showed any resistance, they said.  The Sources also said that a group of 30 to 35 militants attacked the security check post with rockets, hand grenades and automatic weapons.