Pakistan: 15 militants, 1 soldier killed

Security forces killed 15 militants during a raid in a northwest Pakistani tribal region where troops have battled al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents, the military said in a statement Sunday. A paramilitary soldier also was killed in the clash in the Darwazgai section of Mohmand tribal area, which borders Afghanistan. Mohmand lies just south of the Bajur tribal region, where Pakistani troops have fought militants for months in an operation the military says has left more than 1,700 insurgents dead. The campaign extended into Mohmand in recent weeks. The US has praised the Pakistani military offensive, saying it has put pressure on insurgents along the border who are involved in attacks on American and NATO forces in Afghanistan.