Pakistani officials say security forces and helicopter gunships have killed at least 21 suspected militants in the northwestern tribal region of Orakzai.
They say troops and aircraft attacked militant compounds in the area on Wednesday, destroying a training center, a bunker and an ammunition dump.
In the past year Pakistani forces have been carrying out anti-Taliban offensives in the country's northwestern tribal regions, particularly South Waziristan.
U.S. missile strikes in the tribal areas are also targeting Taliban and al-Qaida commanders, often in the North Waziristan region.
Militants based in the region have retaliated by launching gun and bomb attacks against government workers, police and civilians in Pakistan's cities.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.