Suspected militants fire rockets at Pakistani army base

Suspected militants fired rockets at a military post in a Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border, triggering a gunbattle but causing no casualties, an official said Tuesday.

Photo: Suspected militants fire rockets at Pakistani army base

The attack happened late Monday on the outskirts of Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan, but "the terrorists fled toward nearby mountains when our soldiers returned fired," said the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make media comments.

Although the official gave no further details, residents said the exchange of fire continued for two hours.

Islamic militants suspected of having ties with remnants of al-Qaida and Taliban often launch attacks against security forces.

The latest attack came hours after Pakistani forces shot and killed two suspected militants after a grenade attack wounded five soldiers in the nearby town of Mir Ali.

The troops were patrolling a bazaar there when one of the two assailants hurled a grenade at them, according to a local government official.

Militants are active in North Waziristan and other tribal regions near Afghanistan, where Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror, has deployed thousands of troops to flush them out, reports the AP.

I.L.