A suicide bomber rammed his car into a security checkpoint in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley Saturday, killing five soldiers - while eight militants were killed in another part of the valley.
The suicide bombing in the town of Khawaza Kehla also left four soldiers injured.
Officials say the militants were killed during a search operation near Kanju town. Two others were detained.
Also Saturday, in the South Waziristan tribal region, fighter jets targeted a suspected militant hideout, killing at least five insurgents.
The latest violence came as U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, was due in Pakistan late Saturday.
Holbrooke is scheduled to hold talks with top Pakistani officials and then travel to Afghanistan to observe the presidential and local council elections.
Pakistan's military launched an offensive in Swat and surrounding areas in late April after militants violated a peace deal and began advancing toward the capital, Islamabad.
Officials call the operation a success and say most of the Taliban insurgents have been driven from the region. However, some fighting has continued.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
