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Militants raid Pakistan army base Militants overrun Pakistan fort
(40 minutes later)
Militants in north-west Pakistan have attacked a paramilitary fort, killing or kidnapping most of the troops based inside, officials say. Hundreds of militants in north-west Pakistan have overrun a paramilitary fort, killing or kidnapping many troops, the military says.
They say that of the 43 troops based at Sararogha in South Waziristan, only seven managed to escape to safety. At least eight soldiers died in the raid and 15 escaped, the army says. The whereabouts of another 25 are unknown. Some reports put the death toll higher.
A military spokesman told the Reuters news agency that there had been fighting in the area, but denied reports the fort had been captured.
South Waziristan is a known stronghold of Taleban and al-Qaeda militants.South Waziristan is a known stronghold of Taleban and al-Qaeda militants.
The region has been at the centre of fighting between the army and the militants in recent months.The region has been at the centre of fighting between the army and the militants in recent months.
"About 700 militants attacked the fort at Sararogha at about 9.30pm (1630 GMT on Tuesday) and communication with the fort was cut at around 2 am," a security official told Reuters. Gunfire
The army says that a number of attackers have been killed. The army says that up to 40 attackers were killed in the fighting. There is no independent confirmation of this figure.
Correspondents say that Sararogha area is a stronghold of a militant leader, Baitullah Mehsud, who the government accused of being behind the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on 27 December.Correspondents say that Sararogha area is a stronghold of a militant leader, Baitullah Mehsud, who the government accused of being behind the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on 27 December.
Officials said troops at the fort came under rocket and automatic weapons attack from militants on Tuesday night, and returned fire.
People in the Sararogha area said the exchange of fire went on for four hours.
They said the militants entered the remote military outpost and started shifting weapons and captured troops.
Meanwhile, the political administration of South Waziristan agency, based in neighbouring North West Frontier Province, has called a council of the Mahsud tribe to try to resolve the issue.