ISLAMABAD: Six suspected militants were killed in an encounter in North Waziristan, the military said on Tuesday. A civilian working for the armed forces was also killed in the operation. The claims, however, could not be independently verified as journalists have limited access to the restive tribal agency.

"The encounter took place this afternoon during clearance of the operation in the area ahead of Dattakhel," a spokesman for the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"A civilian logistic staff member was also killed in the same encounter when he was providing supplies to fighting forces," the statement said.

Dattakhel is considered a stronghold for terrorists and a clearance operation is under way in the area.

Military operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched by the Pakistan Army on June 15 following a brazen militant attack on Karachi's international airport and failure of peace talks between the government and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators.

The Taliban and their ethnic Uzbek allies both claimed responsibility for the attack on Karachi airport, which was seen as a strategic turning point in how Pakistan tackles the insurgency.