Pakistani helicopter gunships pounded militant hide-outs in the country's northwest Saturday, killing at least 10 militants.

Securityofficials say the airstrikes took place in the Orakzai region, where amilitary transport helicopter crashed the day before, killing at least26 military personnel.

Pakistani officials say the helicoptercrashed Friday outside the city of Peshawar due to a technicalfailure. But the Taliban claims it shot down the aircraft.

Elsewherein the northwest, clashes between a pro-government tribal militia andmilitants killed at least 12 people late Friday in the remote Mohmandregion, along the Afghan border.

Pakistan's military has beenfighting Taliban militants throughout the country's northwest for morethan two months. Security officials also are on high alert followingthe launch this week of a major U.S. offensive against Talibanmilitants in neighboring Afghanistan.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.