ISLAMABAD // Pakistani fighter jets bombed militants close to the Afghan border today, killing 27, while three more insurgents were killed in ground fighting, government officials said. The fighting took place as a top US diplomat visited Pakistan for talks on the nuclear-armed country's efforts to counter rising violence by al Qa'eda and Taliban militants. The deadliest strike took place today when jets bombed a militant camp in the Swat valley in north-west Pakistan, killing up to 20, said army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas. The bombs hit an ammunition dump, causing extensive damage, he said. It was not immediately possible to independently confirm the casualties or the others reported. Reporters cannot visit the area because of poor security and government restrictions. No Taliban spokesman was available for comment. In nearby Bajur district, a further seven insurgents were killed when jets bombed their positions, said Muhammad Jamil Khan, a government official there. Security official Fazl Rabi said three militants were killed in other parts of Bajur when they tried to attack security posts.
*AP
