Pakistan battles 'militants' in S Waziristan

About a dozen casualties have been reported as the Pakistani army moves deep into the volatile northern agency of South Waziristan.

Thousands of troops, backed by tanks and fighter jets, have begun a three-pronged attack on what they call militant hideouts.

Pakistani officials told Press TV that the armed forces have taken over control of Spankai and Ghazai areas in South Waziristan while military jets pounded militants' positions.

The attacked killed 12 terrorists and demolished several hideouts late on Saturday, they claimed.

While briefing the political leadership on Friday, Army General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani referred to the operation as the 'mother of all battles'.

The offensive began after two weeks of militant attacks which killed over 150 people.

Around 90,000 civilians have fled South Waziristan; normally home to 600,000 people, since August and officials said the number could more than double.

The head of the US central command, David Petraeus, is also heading to Pakistan to discuss the ongoing operation. Pentagon officials say the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, has spoken to his Pakistani counterpart to emphasize continued US support for the military operation.

Meanwhile, Pakistani police said it arrested 35 members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir, according to our correspondent.