AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE, FOUR SECURITY PERSONNEL AND 16 SUSPECTED MILITANTS, WERE KILLED IN PAKISTAN'S RESTIVE TRIBAL REGION OF NORTH WAZIRISTAN IN AN ATTACK ON A MILITARY CHECKPOINT AND A SUBSEQUENT MILITARY OPERATION, OFFICIALS AND REPORTS SAID WEDNESDAY ACCORDING TO DPA. THE OPERATION BEGAN AFTER AN OVERNIGHT ATTACK BY PRO-TALIBAN MILITANTS ON A MILITARY CHECKPOINT IN THE REGION THAT BORDERS AFGHANISTAN. PAKISTAN'S PRIVATE GEO TV QUOTED CHIEF MILITARY SPOKESMAN MAJOR GENERAL SHAUKAT SULTAN AS SAYING THAT SOME 16 SUSPECTED MILITANTS WERE KILLED AND ANOTHER 19 WERE CAPTURED ALIVE DURING THE DAYLONG OPERATION IN THE REGION WEDNESDAY, MOUNTED BY SECURITY FORCES AFTER THE TUESDAY NIGHT ATTACK ON THE POST. EARLIER, SULTAN TOLD DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR, DPA THAT THE SECURITY FORCES LOST THREE OF THEIR MEN IN THE OVERNIGHT ATTACK AT CHECK POSTS IN THE DATTA KHEL AND SHAWWAL AREAS OF NORTH WAZIRISTAN. HOWEVER, ANOTHER SOLDIER LATER SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES. FIVE VEHICLES CARRYING THE ATTACKERS TRIED TO ESCAPE BUT THE PAKISTANI FORCES HIT THEM WITH GUNSHIP FIRE, SULTAN SAID, ADDING THAT ABOUT 15 MILITANTS SURRENDERED BEFORE THE START OF THE OPERATION WHICH WAS SUPPORTED BY GUNSHIP HELICOPTERS. --MORE 23 29 LOCAL TIME 20 29 GMT
