By Xinhua
Islamabad : At least 150 militants and 45 security personnel were killed in clashes which began Saturday in northwestern Pakistan’s North Waziristan Agency, military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said Tuesday.
A statement issued by the army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 50 militants and 20 security personnel were wounded in the clashes.
Arshad disclosed that the army had established contact with 37 soldiers who were reported to be missing after intensive clashes with militants in North Waziristan Monday. However, 13 others were still missing.
The ISPR statement said that security forces had turned down the militants’ request of ceasefire because their demand could not be met.
“Security forces would continue punitive action till complete peace is restored in restive North Waziristan Agency,” the statement said.
The security forces launched a large-scale operation after militants attacked a convoy in an area 10 km south of Mir Ali, a major town in North Waziristan Sunday.
The security situation in northwestern Pakistan’s tribal areas worsened after militants in North Waziristan scrapped a peace deal with the government in July.