Peshawar, Feb. 22 : Carrying on their operation to flush out militants from the region, Pakistan's security forces claimed to have killed 25 militants in the tribal district of Bajaur, after an intense night-long battle.

"Our forces have destroyed some important hideouts of militants and killed some 25 insurgents, including a commander Faizullah," The Nation quoted a security official, as saying.

Security forces targeted suspected hideouts of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda using helicopter gunships and heavy artillery in the fresh assault which was initiated of Friday.

Pakistan's security forces had started the operation in the region in August last year to counter the Taliban and Al-Qaeda's increasing cross-border attacks on US-led allied forces in Afganistan's Kunar province.

Security forces have claimed that several militants have been killed in the operation so far, but they are still unable to gain complete hold over the region.

Meanwhile, militants killed a police official in North Waziristan area after accusing him of spying for US forces operating in Afganistan.

"The body of Hameed Khan, 30, who was abducted on February 9, was dumped on the roadside with a note saying that he had been spying for US forces," a police official, Aziz Khan said. (ANI)