Security forces kill 40 militants

Pakistani security forces killed 40 militants in the country's northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan on Wednesday, a military spokesman said.

Pakistani army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told private Geo TV that gunship helicopters were used to target positions of militants in mountains in the border area between North and South Waziristan.

"The operation was conducted in the morning and in the afternoon," he said.

Arshad said the militants had been using mountains to fire and ambush convoys of security forces.

The army spokesman said that ground forces were not used and that only gunship helicopters hit suspected positions of the militants.

He there had been no casualty among the security forces.