Up to 25 militants killed in South Waziristan

Security forces of Pakistan have killed up to 25 al Qaeda linked militants in fighting that began on Tuesday in the South Waziristan region on the Afghan border, the military said.
Many militants took refuge in South Waziristan and other parts of country’s lawless tribal lands after US-led troops toppled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001.
The government has accused a wanted militant leader based in South Waziristan, Baitullah Mehsud, of ordering the Dec. 27 martyrdom of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and bomb attack in Rawalpindi.
The latest clashes broke out in South Waziristan after militants kidnapped four paramilitary troops from a checkpost.
“We killed five miscreants yesterday and 15 to 20 in overnight fighting,” military spokesman Major-General Waheed Arshad said on Wednesday.
At least 60 militants had been captured in the region since Tuesday, he said.
Tribal elders were trying to negotiate the release of the four abducted troops, he said.
Arshad said he had no information about any operation to go after Mehsud, the militant commander accused of assassination of Benazir.
A spokesman for Mehsud said the militant chief was not involved in Benazir’s martyrdom.