Islamabad:
A Pakistani military official says Taliban militants attacked an army post near the Afghan border, killing nine soldiers.
The official says several other soldiers were wounded in the attack in the South Waziristan tribal area. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The group's spokesman, Ahsanullah Ahsan, claimed they killed 12 soldiers and beheaded some of them.
The differing accounts could not be independently verified.
South Waziristan was once the main stronghold for the Pakistani Taliban. The military launched a large offensive against militants there in 2009, but insurgents still operate in the area and periodically stage attacks.