Pakistan troops killed 'by al-Qaeda'

Suspected al-Qaeda fighters have killed 10 Pakistani troops in a gunfight close to the Afghan border, security officials said.

The clash took place early on Wednesday in a remote mountainous region near the garrison town of Wana, 190 miles (300km) south-west of the capital Islamabad and east of the Afghan province of Paktika.

The Pakistani troops, hunting for suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban militants, came under fire as they raided a house.

Exchanges of fire continued throughout the night.

Of the Pakistani casualties, six were army soldiers while the remainder belonged to a local paramilitary force known as the Scouts.

Sources say two of the attackers were killed.

They are thought to be Chechen fighters allied to al-Qaeda.

Pakistani soldiers on the ground and helicopters in the air are searching for surviving attackers.