Pakistani army pounds suspected al-Qaida positions

Pakistani troops pounded a cluster of suspected al-Qaida hideouts and a training facility with artillery, mortar and small arms fire during a third day of violence in a lawless tribal region near the border with Afghanistan.

The army said it had killed 35 insurgents. Fifteen security forces were killed in an attack on a checkpoint on the first day of the fighting on Wednesday, said army spokesman General Shaukat Sultan.