Air strikes by Pakistani fighter jets on Taliban hideouts in the country's northwestern tribal region near Afghanistan killed 30 militants on Thursday, military officials said.

Fifteen militants were killed in a strike on Mamozai village in Orakzai tribal district and another 15 in Kurram, another tribal district along the Afghan border, a senior paramilitary official told AFP.

"Fighter jets also destroyed seven hideouts of Taliban," the official said, requesting anonymity.

Another senior military official based in Peshawar also confirmed the air strikes and death tolls, saying: "All these militants were from Tehreek-e-Taliban," an umbrella organisation for the Pakistani Taliban.

Firefights and bombing raids

On Wednesday Pakistani troops backed by helicopter gunships killed 21 militants in firefights and bombing raids in the same area, officials said.

Military officials based at Peshawar said the operation began in the early hours of Wednesday.

The death tolls could not be verified independently however as the area is under military supervision and access by reporters is limited.

Under US pressure, Pakistan has in the past year significantly increased operations against militants in its northwest, including the tribal belt.

The rugged tribal terrain became a stronghold for hundreds of extremists who fled neighbouring Afghanistan after the US-led invasion in late 2001.

Washington says the militants use Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt to plot and stage attacks against NATO troops stationed in Afghanistan.

-AFP