ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan say four intelligence officials have been killed during a raid on a militant hideout in the country's east.

An army officer says the militants were from Lashkar-e-Jangvi, an al-Qaida-allied group.

He and another officer said some of the militants were killed or captured in the raid Saturday in a hilly part of Jhelum district, but gave no more details.

They asked that their names not be published because they were not allowed to talk to the media.

Pakistani security forces are battling an insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives over the last five years.