At least three security personnel were killed and six others were injured during the last 24 hours of the ongoing operation in Pakistan's northwest, according to a military press release Sunday.

Security forces conducted search operation south of Kotah near Bari Kot in the Swat valley of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP). During exchange of fire with militants, it said, three soldiers were killed.

In other districts of the NWFP and the tribal areas, security forces arrested over 10 militants and recovered arms and other devices in the operation.

Over 1,600 militants have been killed since Pakistani security forces launched the military operation against Taliban militants late April after militants in early April entered the Buner district from the neighboring Swat district and refused to vacate the area despite their pledge to do so.

Source: Xinhua