The United Nations says more than 200,000 people have fled the Pakistan military's latest offensive in the northwest, as new fighting in the region has killed at least 40 militants and two soldiers.
Pakistani officials say troops beat back an attack by more than 100 militants on a security checkpoint in the Shireen Dara area of the Orakzai tribal region early Monday.
The military began an offensive in Orakzai in March to flush out Taliban insurgents believed to have fled an earlier military offensive in South Waziristan.
A U.N. official warned Monday that there is a severe shortfall in funding needed to help those who have fled the fighting. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, Martin Mogwanja, said his agency has received about $106 million or 20 percent of a $537 million appeal launched in February.
Elsewhere in the northwest, police say at least six people were killed Monday in clashes between police and protesters who were demonstrating against the government's plans to rename North West Frontier Province.
At least 80 people were wounded in the violence, which broke out in Abbottabad district. Police used teargas and eventually fired on protesters who set fire to a police station.
Hindku-speaking groups in the province oppose changing the name of the province to "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa" to reflect the ethnic Pashtun group that dominates the region.
The name change is part of a constitutional reform package that has passed the National Assembly and is expected to go before the Senate, or upper house of parliament, on Monday.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
