Airstrikes target 'terrorists'

The death toll has risen in Pakistani air strikes against targets in North Waziristan district, a stronghold of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants. The country's army said Wednesday that 60 people had been killed following the early morning strike.

"As per reports so far, 60 hardcore terrorists including some of the important commanders and foreigners were also killed in the strikes and around 30 were injured," a statement from the military's said. It did not, however, elaborate on who the commanders were.

The military said those targeted in Wednesday's operation were linked to recent attacks against civilians and security forces around the country.

Local officials and residents said civilians were among the wounded however this could not be independently verified. Waziristan is one of several rugged semi-autonomous areas along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan and is off limits to foreign journalists.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government has been pursuing negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) since February. However the talks have yielded little in the way of result.

The attack comes weeks after the Pakistani Taliban officially ended a ceasefire called to allow for the talks with the government. The Pakistani Taliban has been waging a bloody insurgency against the state since 2007, which has killed thousands of people.

hc/lw (AFP, AP)