Pakistani soldiers die in ambush near Afghan border

At least 11 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in an ambush by suspected militants close to the Afghan border, officials say.

The military convoy was attacked in the north-west Khyber tribal region, near the city of Peshawar.

The dead included a colonel and a captain in the paramilitary Frontier Corps, a government official said.

Pakistani forces are often targeted by militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban in the tribal regions.

Islamabad has launched several operations against insurgents along the Afghan border over the past two years.

Khyber government official Iqbal Khan said the convoy had been returning from a mission in three vehicles when it was attacked. He said several of the attackers were also killed, but gave no more details.

One report said 14 soldiers had died.