Pakistan's army said Sunday troops after "intense" efforts had captured an important mountain in a major anti-Taliban offensive in the northwestern tribal area near the Afghan border.
"Today after intense engagements security forces secured the significant mountain top of Tarkona Narai after an effort lasting 16 hours," the military said in a statement.
Troops advanced further on militant positions a day after overrunning Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud's hometown of Kotkai, securing important ridges, it said.
"In last 24 hours, 15 terrorists have been killed during security forces operation in South Waziristan. Security forces losses are one soldier martyred and three injured," the statement said.
Pakistan launched the offensive in the semi-autonomous South Waziristan region on October 17 and the army says nearly 200 militants and some two dozen troops have been killed since then.
Six killed in Pakistan military helicopter crash: official
Six soldiers were killed when a Pakistani military helicopter crashed in a restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan overnight, the military said Sunday.
The MI-17 helicopter crash landed at Nawapass in Bajaur district due to a technical fault, the military said in a statement
"Six soldiers embraced martyrdom. The pilots of the helicopter were injured but are safe and out of danger."
A senior military official late Saturday told AFP the MI-17 helicopter was returning from a routine supply mission to the border areas of Bajaur when it crashed near Charmung village, killing three people and wounding two others.
Pakistani security forces launched a huge operation against Islamist militants in Bajaur last August. In February, they claimed the area had been cleared, but unrest has continued.
Hundreds of extremists are believed to have fled Afghanistan into Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal areas after the US-led invasion toppled the hardline Taliban regime in Kabul in late 2001.
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