MIRAMSHAH: Taliban militants armed with guns and rockets ambushed a Pakistani military convoy Friday, killing seven soldiers in the militant stronghold of North Waziristan, officials said.

The attack took place at Khar Qamar, 30 kilometres west of Miramshah, the main town in the district.

The Pakistani security officials said nine militants were also killed in the attack, but there was no independent confirmation of the toll.

“At least seven soldiers were martyred when militants fired machine guns and rockets on a military convoy,” a senior security official told AFP.

Other security officials in Peshawar, the biggest city in northwest Pakistan, confirmed the attack and that the toll had risen from four to seven.

“After the ambush, Pakistani military helicopters and troops retaliated and there were reports of deaths of nine militants,” an intelligence official said..