Pakistani military officials say at least 46 people have been killed in two days of fighting in a tribal region in the northwestern part of the country.
Clashes between Uzbek militants and local tribesmen began Monday near Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, close to the border with Afghanistan.
A military spokesman, Major General Waheed Arshad, says security forces were not involved.
According to reports, at least three children were killed and 20 wounded when they were struck by a mortar bomb on their way home from school.
Pakistani authorities said at least 33 Uzbeks also were killed in the fighting and another 22 were detained. They say Uzbek militants have links to the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Pakistan has been trying to clear foreign militants out of Waziristan as part of its effort to support the U.S.-led war on terror.
The region is a stronghold for pro-Taleban militants who support an insurgency in Afghanistan against the U.S.-backed government, NATO and U.S.-led coalition forces.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
