Pakistan army 'kills 910 militants in Waziristan offensive'

Pakistani soldiers have Miranshah and other main towns under their control

Pakistan's military says it has killed at least 910 suspected militants since launching an offensive in the tribal area of North Waziristan in June.

Some 82 soldiers had died fighting the insurgents there and in raids across the country, the statement said.

The army said the main towns in North Waziristan, which had been a Taliban stronghold, were now under its control.

Media access is blocked in tribal areas near the Afghan border and there is no independent confirmation of the claims.

The army statement was released amid mounting anti-government protests in the capital. The military says it is not taking sides in the crisis.

The long-awaited offensive against the Pakistani Taliban finally began after the collapse of peace talks between the militants and the government.

"So far, security forces have cleared major towns of Miranshah, Mir Ali, Datta Khel, Boya and Degan in North Waziristan, which were considered strongholds of terrorists," the military statement said.

It said 42 of the militants killed since June had died in intelligence-led operations across the country. More than 100 others had been captured.

The army gave no details of any civilian casualties. Residents who fled the fighting say there have been many. About 800,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in North Waziristan since June.

Militant attacks inside Pakistan have fallen sharply since the offensive began, but no high-profile militant leader is known to have been caught so far.

The military conceded in July that many might have slipped out of North Waziristan after learning in advance of the impending military action.