Pakistan kills 15-20 militants in raid on camp

ISLAMABAD, June 10 (Reuters) Pakistani security forces attacked a militant hideout near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing up to 20 people, an army spokesman said.

Pakistan is trying to clear its rugged, semi-autonomous border lands of militants, many of whom fled there after U.S. and Afghan opposition forces ousted Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in late 2001. The compound, attacked with artillery and helicopters, was near Dattakhel village, in the North Waziristan region on the Afghan border, said the spokesman, Major-General Shaukat Sultan.

An attack was launched before dawn and about 70 percent of the compound was destroyed, he said.

"We believe we killed 15 to 20 miscreants," he said.

The militants at the hideout, who had been responsible for numerous attacks on security force convoys, were believed to be foreigners and their Pakistani allies, he said.

Foreign al Qaeda supporters, including many from Central Asia, are known to be taking refuge in the area.