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Islamabad: Pakistani security forces pounded militant positions near strategic areas in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan, killing 25 suspected insurgents in a new round of a military offensive that also left three soldiers dead.
The battle in the Bajur tribal region comes as the nuclear-armed Muslim nation struggles to recover from a
massive suicide attack at the Marriott Hotel in the capital. Police said Saturday the death toll from the blast
a week ago in Islamabad stood at 54, one higher than previously reported.
On Friday, security forces cleared militant compounds near Bajur's Rashakai and Loi Sam areas, army spokesman Major Murad Khan said, confirming the death toll. He said late Friday that two of the three soldiers killed were officers.
The week-long military operation in Bajur has already killed more than 1,000 militants and some 66 soldiers, and officials say it could be another two months before the militant stronghold is stabilised.
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