Islamabad: January 20, 2008. The Pakistan Air Force fighter jets and gunship helicopters bombed militants hideouts in South Waziristan on Saturday night raids. The stronghold of insurgents faced such a fierce battle with Pak Army after attacks on border scouts fort in bordering Afghanistan. According to Reuters, the air attack on positions held by fighters loyal to Baitullah Mehsud, a commander with close ties to al Qaeda, followed overnight shelling of villages around Ladha, a town in the remote South Waziristan tribal region. There were no fresh casualty reports available, but the military said on Saturday that it had captured 40 militants, and killed 90 during operations in the area on Friday. Military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said there were exchanges of fire between security forces and militants in Ladha, but denied the army used gunships, saying that two helicopters had been used to deliver supplies to troops.