Pakistan's army kills top militant commander

Pakistani troops have killed the brother of a new militant leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, in a battle in the insurgent stronghold of North Waziristan, officials say.

"Kalimullah was buried on Wednesday. He was killed on Monday in a crossfire with security forces," a regional security official was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

The death comes after troops responded to a rocket attack on a military base by the militants in the troubled region where there has been a surge in violence over the past months.

At least one soldier was killed and five others were wounded after militants had fired a missile into a paramilitary camp at Razmak town in the volatile district.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Qari Hussain told the Pakistani Dawn newspaper that suicide bombers were being prepared to avenge the death. "We will take revenge of the assassination of Baitullah and Kalimullah," he said.

Hakimullah Mehsud's predecessor, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in the tribal belt on August 6 in a US missile strike in the area.

Military sources claim more than 2,000 insurgents and over 300 soldiers have been killed in the army offensives against the militants in the scenic valley since late April.

The troops launched operations in the Swat valley and adjoining districts after militants were trying to infiltrate into Islamabad and other major cities.

Pakistan's ruling people party has vowed to flush out the militants from most part of the nuclear-armed country.