WANA, Aug 27: At least 23 Taliban and two soldiers were killed, while 20 militants and seven soldiers were injured on Wednesday after clashes broke out in different areas of South Waziristan.

Sources said that the Taliban attacked a checkpost in Tiarza, 3km off Wana on Tuesday night. The security forces countered the attack, killing 11 Taliban and injuring 20 others.

Fierce fighting continued throughout Wednesday. The political administration clamped a curfew on Wana and made announcements from mosques asking people to stay indoors.

The sources said that two soldiers were killed and seven others were injured when the Taliban attacked three army vehicles near Wana bazaar in the evening. Fighting was intensified in different areas after the attack on army convoy. The sources said another 12 Taliban were killed in clashes.

A woman and a man were killed after a mortar shell hit their house, the sources said.

Militant commander Maulvi Nazir has denied that the Taliban were involved in the attack on the Tiarza checkpost. He suspected that Meshud tribesmen might be involved in the attack as the checkpost was on the border between the areas of Wazir and Mehsud tribes.

Ahmadullah Ahmadi, a spokesman for the militant group of Hafiz Gul Bahadar and Maulvi Nazir, said that the Taliban had declared unilateral ceasefire till Aug 30 in the tribal area. He said that they would not violate the truce without provocation.