TANK, Aug 17: Cobra helicopters and ground forces targeted several locations in South Waziristan areas dominated by the Mahsud tribe, while a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden jeep into a military vehicle near Jandola, killing himself and wounding five soldiers.

Two Uzbek nationals and two tribesmen were killed by security forces in North Waziristan.

Officials and residents said the death toll in clashes over the past two days in South Waziristan reached 32 -- 12 of them soldiers and 19 militants. Another 12 security personnel were injured. An officer, Lt Umar Shah, was also among the dead.

Sources said that five helicopter gunships called in from a base in Miramshah in North Waziristan attacked militants’ positions in Chagmalai, Spla Toi, Tanga, Berwand, Maulvi Khan Sarai and Zawar areas.

According to sources, security forces killed four militants and wounded four others when they fired back after a security post had been attacked in Ghat Khwa area, some 20km north of Wana.

Zulfiqar Mahsud, a spokesman for militant commander Baitullah Mahsud, claimed responsibility for the attacks on the security forces.

He told Dawn by phone that Taliban had captured four posts in Tiarza area. He also claimed that six army vehicles had been damaged.

Inter-Services Public Relations Director-General Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad could not be contacted for comments on the claims.

The clashes erupted following an attack on a convoy in Chagmalai area on Thursday, leaving 10 militants and two soldiers dead.

Witnesses said helicopters carried out intensive shelling and bombing. The road between Wana and Jandola remained closed. Security forces fired heavy artillery from Serwakai, Jandola and Manzai forts on different locations.

Because of artillery shelling, residents of Chagmalai left their homes on Thursday night and moved to Jandola and Gomal areas of Dera Ismail Khan. Telephone lines remained cut off in many areas of South Waziristan.

The sources said that whereabouts of the 15 paramilitary soldiers kidnapped on Aug 9 was still unknown.

Meanwhile, a suicide bomber rammed his Land Cruiser loaded with explosives into a military vehicle near Tank city, injuring five soldiers. The bomber’s body was blown up into pieces, a witness said.

The army convoy comprising three vehicles was heading towards the Jandola Frontier Region when the bomber hit it near a seminary. The wounded soldiers were taken to Bannu in a helicopter.

General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Tariq told a tribal jirga in Tank that the government was ready for talks with the militants to restore peace in the area. He said the security forces exercising maximum restraint.

In North Waziristan, two Uzbek nationals and two men of Janikhel tribe were killed when security forces fired at a car which did not stop for checking at the Jaler checkpoint, officials said. One person was arrested.

In Hangu district, a Levies checkpoint and a shop were blown up in different attacks.

Officials and witnesses said the Levies checkpoint in Dori area was destroyed when an explosive device went off near it late on Thursday night.

A shop in the Ikhtiyar Market in Thall bazaar was damaged in an explosion on Friday.