Advancing from three directions into the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan, the Pakistani troops today surrounded a key militant base, killing 25 terrorists in intense fresh fighting in the restive region.

Kaniguram, a base for Taliban and Uzbek militants, had been surrounded from three directions and troops are making progress in Operation 'Rah-e-Nijat' (Path of Salvation) faster than expected, chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told reporters.

"In the last 24 hours, 25 terrorists have been killed in South Waziristan Agency and a huge cache of arms and ammunition has been recovered. Security forces' losses are five soldiers injured," Abbas said.

However, troops advancing from Razmak in North Waziristan on the 12th day campaign, continued to face stiff resistance and the heaviest fighting was reported from there.

A dozen militants were killed and a soldier was injured during an operation to secure the Zar-e-Sar feature on this front, the military said.

Troops consolidated their positions on heights and conducted search and cordon operations in Nawazkot, an important Taliban base.   

Fifteen militant bunkers and positions were destroyed during these operations.

Soldiers advancing from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mehsud's hometown of Kotkai, which was captured last week, secured heights overlooking the militant base of Sararogha, Abbas said.

Eight militants were killed and three soldiers injured during an operation to secure an important road junction and a height on this front. Troops advancing on a third front from Shakai had surrounded the militant base of Kaniguram.

They also secured an important feature that overlooks Kaniguram and the town of Karama, which is a stronghold and training centre of foreign militants.

Five militants were killed and a soldier was injured in fighting around Kaniguram.

Intercepts of militant communications showed that Taliban commanders Waliur Rehman and Qari Hussain, the trainer of suicide bombers, are in South Waziristan and controlling operations by the militants, Abbas said.

However, there was no specific information about the whereabouts of Hakimullah and it was not known if he was in the region, he said.

Troops had also not captured any senior Taliban or foreign militant in Waziristan so far, he added.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, who was also present at the news briefing, said Pakistan would not accept any pressure from the US to shift its troops from the Indian frontier to the border with Afghanistan.

"Pakistan does not need any sort of assistance or guidance from anyone abroad. This is the prerogative of the commanders of our forces. They will decide when and where they need forces. Of course, we have a hostile country on our eastern border. We cannot vacate our eastern border," he said in response to a question.

The military says over 260 militants and more than 30 soldiers have died so far in fighting in South Waziristan though the figures cannot be independently verified as journalists have no access to the conflict zone.

The army has mobilised two divisions or about 28,000 soldiers to take on an estimated 10,000 Taliban militants and foreign fighters in South Waziristan.

Troops also continued search and clearance operations in the northwestern Swat valley, where 10 suspects were captured from different areas.

Three militants also surrendered to security forces in the region.