Forty pro-Taliban militants and six Pakistani paramilitary personnel were killed when security forces repulsed a daring attack by over 600 rebels in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.

The large group of militants, most of them foreigners who came from the Afghan border, attacked paramilitary personnel at several locations in Mohmand Agency late on Saturday night, said a statement issued by the Frontier Corps.

The fighting continued till the early hours of Sunday.

The foreign fighters, who were backed by local militants, used heavy weapons like mortars and rockets to attack a Frontier Corps camp and a check post.

After a fierce exchange of fire, the Frontier Corps troops repulsed the "massive attack", the statement said.

"In the intense exchange of fire that continued all night, the Frontier Corps troops threw back the attackers, (inflicting) major casualties with 40 miscreants confirmed dead," the statement said.

Gun battles were continuing with the militants in "some pockets of resistance", it said. Some of the militants had surrendered while seven Frontier Corps personnel were injured in the action.

Security officials said the militants had launched attacks from three directions. The Taliban fired rockets at a check post at Sagai in the mountains of Mohmand Agency and also attacked another check post at Lakaro.

Lakaro is considered a stronghold of the Taliban and the militants have been very active in the area over the past year.

Some reports said the militants had taken 17 security personnel hostage but this could not be independently confirmed.

The security forces used artillery fire, mortars and gunship helicopters to beat back the militants. The injured paramilitary personnel were airlifted by helicopters to Peshawar.

After the Pakistan Army launched a major operation against the Taliban in the restive Bajaur tribal region last year, many militants moved to the nearby Mohmand Agency.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, militants chopped off the ears of four personnel of the Razakar militia force in Bajaur Agency. The militants tortured the Razakar personnel after capturing them.
Source : Central