18 killed in suspected U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan

Suspected U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal region killed 18 alleged militants Tuesday night, intelligence officials told CNN.

Two Pakistani intelligence officials said the suspected drones fired two missiles at different sites in South Waziristan.

South Waziristan is one of the seven districts of Pakistan's volatile tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The intelligence officials asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

U.S. officials rarely discuss the CIA's drone program in Pakistan, though privately they have said the covert strikes are legal and an effective tactic in the fight against extremists.

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Pakistan security forces kill 20 militants

Security forces killed 20 militants in an operation in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, military officials said.

Helicopters launched an aerial assault on militant hideouts in central Kurram Agency, a semiautonomous tribal area bordering Afghanistan, the officials said.

The officials did not want to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

A Pakistani soldier died in the operation, the officials said.

The operation was part of an ongoing offensive by security forces against militants in South Waziristan, Kurram and Orakzai agencies.

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