Islamabad: Pakistan Army bombarded suspected militant hideouts with helicopter gunship in tribal areas near Afghan border, killing five al-Qaeda militants while losing an equal number of soldiers on the third day of the fighting, which has so far left 60 people dead.

Fierce fighting raged in Shakar area of the South Waziristan tribal agency yesterday (June 11, 2004) as Pakistani troops advanced to the hideouts of the foreign militants, reports said.

Five more Pakistani troops were killed in yesterday's (Jun 11, 2004) fighting, bringing the toll to 20 in the Army's side, Pakistani daily 'Statesman', published from Peshawar, said.

It said five more militants were killed yesterday in addition to the 35 in the first two days of the fighting.

Reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying that four fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force also bombed the hideouts of the militants in Shakai yesterday.

The jets continued to hit targets for 30 minutes after which 26 helicopter gunships were pressed into action. Some of the helicopters dropped army commandos to secure the area and flush out the militants, another daily 'The News' said.

Last night, Pakistan Defence spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan, who has now been made press secretary to President Pervez Musharraf, said the airpower was used against the militant hideouts, but declined to admit fighter jets were pressed into action to bomb the targets.

The warplanes also bombed the homes of two local tribesmen, Dawar Khan and Eida Khan, who were accused of sheltering the foreigners, reports said.