Pakistan Says 37 Killed In Air Raids Near Afghan Border

A Pakistani official says air raids on insurgent hideouts in the tribal region near the Afghan border have killed 37 suspected militants and wounded 18.

No independent confirmation of the government official's report from the remote region was immediately available.

In addition to air strikes, government officials said ground troops were also taking part in the operation in the Tirah Valley in the northwestern Khyber tribal region, where the Taliban and the banned militant group Lashkar-i-Islam are active.

The Pakistani Army said the strikes were in response to a series of recent attacks against police and civilians in Islamabad and Peshawar.

The Pakistani Taliban formally ended a 40-day cease-fire last week after peace talks with the government appeared to falter.
Based on reporting by AP and dpa