Three soldiers, 34 militants killed in Pakistan

At least three soldiers and 34 militants were killed in two separate operations by the Pakistani military in the country's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan Sunday.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of the Pakistani army, said in a statement that three army personnel, including an officer, were killed and four others injured in a shootout with militants in Datta Khel town of North Waziristan, a militant insurgent tribal area at Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The troops were conducting a search operation in the area when the exchange of firing took place during which seven militants were also gunned down by the forces, Xinhua reported citing the statement.

In a separate incident, 27 militants were killed when army jets pounded hideouts of suspected militants in the town.

The ISPR said the killed insurgents included both local and foreign militants.

The recent strikes are a continuation of the Pakistani army's ongoing operation "Zarb-e-Azb" against suspected militants in North Waziristan which is believed to be a stronghold of militants.

Talking to media Saturday, "Zarb-e-Azb" Military operational commander Maj. Gen. Zafarullah Khan said the army has so far cleared 90 percent of the territory of North Waziristan Agency from the militants since the start of the operation June 15.

A total of 1,198 terrorists have been killed and 356 injured, while the army has lost 197 personnel in the operation so far, he said.

Zafarullah said the army has recovered 6,752 rifles, 2,470 sub-machine guns, including snipers rifles, 293 machine guns and light machine guns and 111 guns (12.7 mm and 14.5 mm) with ammunition from different areas of the agency.