At least 7 troops, 23 militants killed in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least seven Pakistani troops and 23 militants were killed Monday in a clash in a tribal district near the Afghan border, the military said.

The clash occurred in Mohmand Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas near the border with Afghanistan after suspected Islamic militants ambushed a military convoy on Monday, said the army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad.

He disclosed that the security forces launched an operation, killing 23 militants and confirmed that one vehicle of the soldiers was destroyed in the attack.

The security forces were conducting a routine operation when came under attack, the state-run PTV reported.

Both sides used heavy weapons in the fighting which started early Monday. Arshad said that search operation was still continuing in the area to apprehend the militants.

Local TV channels reported that security forces used rockets to shell positions of the militants.

The security forces used gunship helicopters to hit the house of the leader of the militants.

Mohmand Agency is relatively peaceful compared with other troubled tribal areas.