Islamabad, Aug. 23 (Reuters): Pakistani security forces killed four Uzbek militants and captured one foreigner and a Pakistani in a raid today in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said.

The operation, near Miranshah, the main town of semi-autonomous North Waziristan agency, coincided with a big assault on the other side of the border by US helicopter gunships and hundreds of Afghan and US-led troops.

The Pakistani military said four foreign militants had been killed in the operation against their hideout about 18 km north of Miranshah, but did not give their nationality.

“Security forces raided the hideout early this morning and destroyed it successfully,” it said, adding that troops had also captured machineguns, rocket launchers, assault rifles and a huge quantity of ammunition. A provincial government official said all the foreigners were from Uzbekistan. He said the men were thought to have been among a large group of militants pursued by the military since March in South Waziristan.