Militants Kill Pakistani Troops

Islamic militants attacked Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan border Friday, Pakistani intelligence officials said, triggering a gun battle that left seven troops and 20 insurgents dead. Clashes broke out in the Khyber region, where militants have been battling the Army for control for several years, with a majority of the fighting taking place in the Tirah Valley area. Pakistani security forces expected the assault, as they have recently occupied several strategic heights in an effort to save Peshawar, the provincial capital, from militant attacks.