Pakistan forces arrest 44 militants around Afghanistan border

Pakistani security forces arrested 44 militants during operations in the country's northwest and the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, while a soldier was killed in a clash with rebels in restive South Waziristan, authorities said today.

A soldier died due to indiscriminate firing by militants in the Shakai sector of South Waziristan, where troops have been strengthening their positions after flushing out the Taliban from most major towns and villages.

Security forces arrested 30 militants, including three senior commanders, during a search operation in Bara sub-division of Khyber tribal region, the Frontier Corps said.

Troops arrested five more militants in the Jamrud sub-division of Khyber Agency. An operation is underway in the Khyber Agency to flush out militants of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam.

Security forces apprehended nine militants while conducting search and clearance operations at several places in Swat. Four suspects also surrendered to authorities in this region.

In South Waziristan, troops conducted a search operation at several places in the Jandola sector. Security forces cleared the area around Barwand in Shakai sector and seized a cache of arms and ammunition.

In the Razmak sector of Waziristan, troops cleared several areas and found two tunnels with a large cache of arms and ammunition.

In Shaktu Tabai area, soldiers cleared 29 militant-held compounds and a training centre with a 35-metre-long tunnel.

The military claims over 600 militants, and more than 60 soldiers have died in fighting in Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan stronghold of South Waziristan, where a major ground offensive against the militants was launched in October.