Fifteen militants killed in Sawat operation :

ISLAMABAD: At least 15 militants and a security official were killed while many others were injured in the ongoing security forces operation against local Taliban militants in Pakistan's northern Sawat valley here on Sunday.Security forces and militants are still exchanging heavy fire in Sawat and both sides are using heavy weapons and mortar shells which has mounted the death toll to 60, said security officials.

Officials said that more troops arrived in Sawat in the morning to take part in the operation.The operation in the Sawat valley was launched after the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) government announced to mobiles troops in the area a couple of days back.The decision was taken in the aftermath of Taliban threats to the government to withdraw forces from their area in exchange of nine kidnapped policemen and at least 17 Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel.The NWFP government was earlier compelled to end operation in the Hangu town, about 150 kilometers north of Islamabad, after the local Taliban militants threatened the government to resign in five days or face dire consequences.A large number of FC forces were already deployed in the valley when security forces launched a large-scale operation against local militants in May.