Islamabad: Pakistani troops inflicted heavy casualties while beating back an attack by hundreds of militants on a camp of the security forces in a troubled tribal region bordering Afghanistan, the Army said today.

Around 250 to 300 militants concentrated and attempted to attack Ladha Fort and Ladha check post in South Waziristan on the intervening night of January 9-10, military spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said. "The security forces retaliated with artillery and small arms fire. The miscreants were forced to retreat and reportedly suffered heavy casualties," he said in a statement.

The militants have blockaded the Ladha Fort for the past few days and attempted to stop the supply of food and water to the soldiers. They have also kidnapped seven soldiers. South Waziristan is a stronghold of Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, who has been blamed by President Pervez Musharraf for masterminding a series of suicide bombings across the country, including the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf also blamed Meshud for recruiting and training suicide bombers in South Waziristan, a lawless tribal region along the frontier with Afghanistan. Mehsud has denied involvement in the attack on Bhutto.

Source : PTI