Pakistan forces kill militants in Afghan border strike

Pakistani security forces backed by helicopter gunships struck a militant hide-out today in a tribal region near the Afghan border, killing about three dozen fighters, including a Chechen commander linked to al-Qaida, an army official said.

The Chechen – identified only by his code name, Imam – died when a helicopter fired on a vehicle in which he was fleeing during the raid in the North Waziristan region, the army official said.

The official said about three dozen militants linked with al-Qaida also died in the assault.