Pakistan's army inflict heavy casualties on militants

Islamabad: Pakistan's army says security forces have killed and injured a large number of militants in a restive valley in the country's northwest.

An army statement said militants attacked a checkpoint in the Swat valley on Thursday morning.

It said the troops repelled the attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the assailants. The statement issued on Thursday said four local militant commanders died in the clash. It made no mention of any casualties among government forces.

Taliban militants, seeking the imposition of Islamic law in the valley, have been fighting troops there intermittently for more than a year now. Several militants and members of the Pakistani security forces have died in the skirmishes.